La Revedere
by Sairey13
Summary: 'La Revedere' means, "Good-bye" in Romanian... "That's what everyone thinks of him: A thirteen year-old kid, who has everything, and nothing to worry about... Sadly, they don't know how wrong they are about him. Because deep down, he is Dick Grayson: A sad, lonely, orphaned, broken wing bird who can no longer fly... The Last Flying Grayson..." Image belongs to jordylilly777
1. Breathe No More

To the students and teachers of Gotham Academy, he was Richard John Grayson-Wayne: A happy, cheerful, carefree student. To all citizens of Gotham, he was the ward of Gotham's Billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne. To the Young Justice and the Justice League, he was Robin: Partner, Boy Wonder, and protégé of the Dark Knight, Batman. That's what everyone thinks of him: A thirteen year-old kid, who has everything, and nothing to worry about... Sadly, they don't know how wrong they are about him. Because deep down, he is Dick Grayson: A sad, lonely, orphaned, broken wing bird, who can no longer fly... The Last Flying Grayson...

* * *

_**I've been looking in the mirror for so long...  
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side...**_

* * *

_Loser... Freak... Cursed Gypsy... Circus Freak... Mr. Know-it-all... You... _Dick could tell when he's not wanted, especially when he's at school. Because he skipped a few grades, it has seemed to make everybody ignore him and turn their backs on him. Because he has to act weak like everybody else, it made him become the bullies favorite-little punching bag. Nobody bothered to help the boy out, and the teachers seemed to not care if the bullies would someday put him into a hospital. Alcohol and drugs hurt his lungs whenever he breathes into the school air, and the sight of knives and guns would bring back painful memories of Tony Zucco taking the lives of his parents and relatives.

_Pathetic... A Burden... Failure... Act your own age... You're not like us... You're just a..._ Besides Artemis and Wolf, his team has powers and he doesn't. Because he's the youngest and has no superpowers, they would shove him out of the way from battle and then blame him for not helping or getting in their way when battling. The only thing they were proud of him for, is hacking and hiding within the shadows.  
Roy hardly visits them, and when he does, he'd push Robin aside and ignore him until it was time to go help the Justice League. Wally ignores him, Kaldur and Conner wouldn't let him join in their training exercise, M'gann wouldn't let him say anything to her when she would ask him about what she should make, and Artemis would shoo him away before he could say something to her. Black Canary would scold him for his mistakes in training, and Red Tornado would say nothing to him at all. The only one who seems to notice and acknowledge his presence in the cave, is Wolf. Whenever Robin would go into his dorm to try and control his emotions, the white-animal would come inside and try whatever he could to comfort the boy with his presence... And to Robin, that's all he needed. However, even with Wolf at his side, the large animal couldn't fill in the gap or stop the pain from increasing.

_What is he doing here?... He's only in the way... Get lost, kid... We don't have time for you... You're a... _Ever since the Young Justice has been created, Robin barely sees the Justice League. They usually call to check up on him and talk about their day, but now they never seem to call anymore. His aunts and uncle figures seems to have forgotten their little nephew, as if he has never existed at all. And whenever he would come up at the Watchtower, they would give him weird glances, as if he was a stranger.  
The only one who seems to enjoy and acknowledge his presence is M'gann's uncle, J'onn. Whenever Dick would feel left out and would head towards Batman's dome, J'onn would guide him to his own room and try to get the boy to socialize with him. Though it may had helped the boy to know at least one League member enjoys his company, it still didn't help that the rest of the Justice League are pushing him away from them.

_Circus Brat... Charity Case... Spoiled Orphan... Little Brat... You... _In Gotham, as Richard 'Dick' Grayson-Wayne, he could tell by the way people at charity or donation give him the look that they don't acknowledge him as Bruce Wayne's ward or son. In fact, none had liked him the moment the word had spread that Bruce Wayne took him in. They talk behind his back, act like they like him, and the girls would only smother him just to get closer to Bruce. He could hear them saying that Bruce will eventually kick him out sooner or later, and that thought of being abandon again brought great fear to the boy.

_A specimen... Weakling... A Broken Birdy... Bird Boy... Boy Blunder... Wonder Boy... Our Little... _The villains seems to like to use him as a hostage, or a shield to get Batman to stop fighting and catch him off guard. Because of how small he appears and how Batman would have him stay away from the fights, they would always go after the Boy Wonder with every chance they'll get. That made the boy think on how he's a magnet for trouble, and why Batman would make him go to Mount Justice or stay at home.

_You let your family die... It's all your fault they're gone... Worthless... Useless... A problem... __A Distraction..._ A mistake... A... His home, the Wayne Manor, was only a building made of glass and walls. Alfred seems to have already begun to forget about him, for he would at times forget to make Richard his meals or that he has to take him to school and pick him up. Richard knows it wasn't because of old age, since he's getting closer to his sixties. No, it was because the butler no longer sees him as his grandson anymore. It was all becoming like the day he just moved in, five years ago, back when he was eight. To Richard, history is repeating itself once again to punish him for his failure as Batman's partner and Bruce Wayne's ward...  
Bruce, that one man who took him in when he had nothing, that one man who changed his life and made him the boy he is today, seems to no longer care about him. Heck, Richard no longer sees him anymore, and it seems like Alfred is following his charge's ways.

Everyone... His friends, aunts, uncles, siblings, grandfather, father... His family, they're all treating him like a... A word that he wished to never hear, but has already know what they're thinking of him as...

_A Nobody_

* * *

_**Oh, the little pieces falling, shatter...  
Shards of me too sharp to put back together...**_

* * *

So, here he is. Locked in his bathroom, curled in a fetal-position against the wall, in nothing but his shorts, covering his head with his arms to not look himself in the mirror, as that painful word keeps repeating itself in his head by a voice.

_Nobody... You are a Nobody... You always had, and will always be a Nobody..._

"Stop..." He whispered, as tears streamed down his bloodshot Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes.

_Stop What?... Saying what is true?... If what I say is false, then I dare you to look yourself in the mirror and tell me that I'm wrong on what I and everybody else sees in you..._

"No... I can't!" Dick cried, slightly turning his gaze up to stare at the upper-part of the mirror and the sink counter. He then turned his gaze to the side, closing his eyes to block his sight of everything around him.

_I knew it... You're too scared to even look at your own reflection, especially in the eye, for it'll only remind you of **them**. And it also proves my point, and everybody else's point: You are a Nobody!_

Dick snapped his eyes open from the voice's words, its words hitting him right at the target of his heart.

"No, I am not a Nobody..." He whispered, his hands trembling while making an effort to remove them off his head.

_What was that? Did the Nobody say something?_

"Shut up..." The boy then slowly went to stand, using the wall as support to keep his balance for the lack of food and sleep.

_Sorry, I can't hear you... Care to speak up?_

The taunting of the voice's words finally made Dick snap, and lean over the sink.

"I told you to shut up!" He yelled, lifting his head to stare at the mirror... The sight of himself haunted him dearly.

His skin, that used to be a light-tan, has now became a near pale-white. Underneath his skin, he could clearly see his bones than his muscles. The cause was made by the extensive training he would do on his own, and skipping his meals made him believe he's helping everyone by being skinnier. The cuts, bruises, burnt marks all over his face, limbs, chest and back were proof and evidence enough on how the villains and bullies like to use him as their punching bag. His hair, which would be nicely combed like Conner's, was now sticking out like somebody just gave him a painful noogie... But the worst sight Dick ever laid eyes on himself, are his own eyes. Dark circles underneath the bloodshot Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes... No, his eyes were no longer bright and shining like they used to be. Instead, they more like silver or dull-grey... Which shows the signs of somebody who hasn't slept peacefully, who has been having nightmares, who has been crying, and... Who is broken.

_See? What did I tell ya?_

Dick raised a hand towards his face, placing the palm to rest over his right-cheek that held a bruise.

_Do you honestly believe that your friends really did liked you? That the League actually cared about you? That Bruce ever loved you?... Tell me that I'm wrong, if you still don't believe me..._

Deep down, even when he said that the voice is wrong, Dick knew that the voice inside his head was right all along. Tears began to form once again, and he let them glide down his cheeks. Now, instead of seeing himself in the mirror, he now sees two people staring back at him... His own parents, John and Mary Grayson. Both of them smiling at him, their gazes holding love and acceptance to him.

_Ha! I was right! And because I am right, now you get to see what you truly are!: A Burden, a mistake, a failure... A Nobody! Even your own parents think so!_

Dick shook his head, keeping his gaze at his parents in shock.

"You're wrong, they don't think that about me!" He cried, placing a hand on the glass of the mirror. And to his surprise, his mother did the same with her right-hand towards his, which made him think and feel like she was really there with him. Soon, John's left-hand went over hers and the hands stayed in place in front of Dick's hand.

_You're living in a fantasy world, kid! And right now, you're imagining your parents are still there for you and that they actually do care about you! But the truth is, they hated you! The moment they and your relatives fell, they all knew you were the cause of their deaths... You let them fall, you didn't tell them in time, and they had to pay the consequences of your mistakes. So, in other words, that makes you the murderer instead of Tony Zucco!_

Dick blinked his eyes from the voice's words, and was soon gazing back at himself instead of his parents.

"No..." He whispered, as his eyes swept through the mirror, hoping that his parents will comeback and be with him. "**Mamă, Tată,** **revenire**! **Nu mă lăsa, te rog! Imi pare rau!**(Mother, Father, comeback! Don't leave me, please! I'm sorry!)**" **No matter how many times he cried, no matter how many times he begged, no matter how much he cried in Romany, his parents didn't came back and the only one in his view of the mirror is his haunted reflection.

_I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen... You know? If you were the one to die that night and not your folks, then they would've been so happy and better off without you... Your team wouldn't have to settle for your childish games, the League would get the job done faster than babysitting you, and Bruce would've found a woman he would love and have his own children who can actually live up to the family name and carry on his blood..._

Dick remained silent, as he turned his gaze back at himself.

_You know that I'm right... Why not do it? No one will notice you gone, and they'll soon be happy by the time they find you dead... So, why don't you do everybody a favor and just kill yourself?_

The boy could feel his blood going cold, his mind slowly turning off, and his heart growing numb while beating from the thought of killing himself.

_Though it may seem too late, but you have plenty of time to do it now... You can drown yourself in the tub, cut yourself with the razor, everything in this bathroom you can use to end your life..._

Dick's nails began to slowly scratch at the smooth yet hard surface of the mirror, his eyes narrowly at himself.

_What are you waiting for? Do it! Or are you just too scared to take your own life away?..._

His right-hand curling itself into a fist against the mirror, his teeth clenching to each other, and his breathing turning into slow pants.

_That's right, you can't do it! Because you're a Nobo-_

Dick couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take listening to the voice in his head, couldn't take knowing that everybody wanted him gone, and couldn't even stand staring himself in the mirror. So, he did the only thing he knew to get rid of his own reflection...

_***Crash!***_

The sound of glass breaking, hitting the counter and falling towards the floor to break even more, was heard within the bathroom. The thirteen year-old knew very well what he has done and thought he should've been scared on what he just did, but he didn't. He didn't seem to care on what he just committed, now that the damage has already been done. He has destroyed the mirror of his bathroom with his own hand, surrounding himself in the pieces of the once whole mirror, and caused his hand to bleed. He could see some of the pieces had embedded themselves into his skin and drawing out more of his life-given blood, but he made no move to remove them or stop the bleeding. Instead, he placed his back against the wall and slid himself back to the ground to sit in another mess of his failure.

* * *

_**Too small to matter, but big enough to cut me into so many little pieces...  
If I try to touch her, a**__**nd I bleed... I bleed... And I breathe... I breathe, no more...**_

* * *

He could see himself in the pieces, both big and small pieces that came to his view. Then, with his mind no longer working clearly, either from the lack of food and sleep or losing blood from his hand, he began to see faces of his parents within the pieces. Instead of together, they were apart from each other.

_There, now that wasn't so hard?... It's a shame though, how you just destroyed Bruce's mirror when you were taught to never break what is his..._

Dick raised his right-hand towards a piece that held his mother's face, not caring that he's letting that glass or the other pieces to leave more markings to himself as he picked the piece up. The shape makes him think of a stake from the movies people used to kill vampires, only they used a wooded stake to kill the vampire... And him, he was going to use this glass stake to end his life. His right-hand tightened around the glass, letting it leave cuts into his palm and smothering it with his own blood.

_Do it, before you chicken out and fail another task that is very simple to complete!_

With the glass held in his right-hand, which hadn't ceased to stop bleeding from punching the mirror or causing new cuts on his palms, as he placed the pointed edge towards his left-wrist.

_Just one cut, and it'll all be over..._

Dick was going to listen to that voice, follow its instructions, and hope that he's making the right decision on ending it once and for all... No, he knows that he's making the choice on ending it: No more Richard John Grayson-Wayne, no more Robin... No more Dick Grayson, the Last Flying Grayson.

He didn't hear the door knocking from outside, as he pressed down onto his skin. He couldn't hear the sound of voices calling out his name, as he let out a sob. He didn't hear the door being kicked down, as he released that cut to his skin, feeling the flow of blood escaping his body through the cut of his skin. He didn't even hear Bruce calling out to him or feeling somebody putting pressure onto his bleeding-wrist, as he closed his lifeless Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes and allowed the darkness to consume him into an eternal slumber.

* * *

_**Take a breath, and I try to draw from my spirits well...  
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child...**_

* * *

**_Beep... Beep... Beep... _**A sound that seems to be matching Dick's heartbeat from the darkness, is slowly causing the thirteen year-old to come out of the darkness.

_'Did it work?'_ He wondered. _'Have I actually taken my own life?'_ As his eyes slowly opened a bit more, he noticed some pains in his hands. _'Wait... I'm in pain?' _He then noticed some voices coming from outside of the room, even when he still couldn't see where he is.

_**"How could we not have seen the signs? How could we be so blind?"**_

_**"Who would've thought he would!... He's too young to be thinking on doing that!"  
**_

_**"We should've been there for him, but we ended up tossing him aside like a trout instead."**_

_**"I can't believe he would attempt to take his own life away, when he seems to always be so happy..."**_

_'Those voices, I know them.'_ Dick thought, as his eyes began to show him a white-ceiling. _'I'm not in my bathroom anymore?... If I'm not in my bathroom, nor am I dead, since I shouldn't be feeling any pain if I were truly in the Afterlife, then where am I?' _He then heard a door opening from afar, with the sound of heavy footsteps entering the room.

"How is he, Leslie?" That voice sent shivers down Dick's spine, as his vision grew to show more parts of the ceiling above him. He then closed his eyes when he finally noticed how bright the lights were.

_'No, it can't be him!'_ But he knows that it is him, for he could never forget the sound or the voice of his adoptive father. He then heard a tiring sigh from another voice.

"Bruce, I'm not gonna lie to you. Throughout all my years as a doctor, I've never seen a child obtaining this much injuries, even if that child happens to be a sidekick and on a team of superheroes. But I'm mostly startled on the fact that he would go to this level, without anybody noticing." The voice replied, sounding very worried and sad. "It's a good thing that Alfred called for us, or else we would've lost him if we were a second late on reaching the hospital... Now, if you will tell me, Bruce, did you ever noticed when Dick's behavior changed?" Nothing answered the doctor's question, which caused Leslie to sigh again. "Alright, has he been distance from you lately?" Again, silence answered Leslie. "Any problems at school? Problems at home? Bullies? Drugs? Girls? Sleeping or eating habits?" Every answer was greeted with silence, but Dick knows all the answers to all the questions without having a second thought.

_'Yes, my behavior had changed ever since the Training Simulation. I've been a bit distance lately, which started after coming back from the mission with Mr. Haly and the circus. Teachers and the Principal are stressing me out with school work while I was still recovering from the Training Simulation, and hearing from other students about their relationship with their families. No problems at home, since I'm always alone or I would mostly be at Mount Justice. Bullies and villains like to use me as their punching bag, and a lot of people are trying to get me to do drugs to make me 'cooler'. Don't have a crush on anybody and not interested on having a relationship, so no girl problems. Having nightmares of my families deaths, so I'm refusing to sleep most of the day and night. Have been doing both Anorexia and Bulimia, also been taking pills, thinking I'm getting fat and could be one of the reasons why I'm slowing down the team.'_

"Bruce, according on how you're not answering any of my questions and from the sight of Dick's wounds and body condition, it's clear to me that he's been suffering for maybe a long time." Even with his eyes closed, Dick could sense Bruce staring at him in pity. "If this has been going on for more than a month, then we'll have to get him into therapy to find the problem on why he's hurting himself once his wounds have been treated. Until then, he'll have to stay and be supervised." Though the sound of somebody who actually cares about him made Dick feel a bit better, the sound of being watched over like a prisoner caused the boy re-open his eyes.

_'No, she can't do that to me!'_ Dick thought, fighting to keep his eyes open from the lights while fighting to sit up from his bed.

"Dick, don't sit up!" Bruce cried, heading towards his son and gently but forcefully pushed him back into a laying position. "You have to rest, you mustn't overexert yourself." His words made Dick's heart clench and the feeling of his hands on his chest made him want to breakdown from the hands touching his bruises, burns, and stab wounds. Knowing it would be pointless to fight back, the thirteen year-old stayed down and turned his gaze towards the window.

The sight showed him it was nighttime, with the moon shining brightly upon him as clouds began to cover it and the stars. He was mostly trying to avoid Bruce's gaze, thinking he has failed on not being able to take his own life but has survived when he had welcomed death with open arms.

He then felt a hand stroking his hair, something that usually calms Dick down whenever he was too upset to go back to sleep, and that trick seems to always put him back to sleep. However, this time, the gesture isn't working like it always do, for he hadn't felt this gesture ever since he came back from counseling with Black Canary four months ago, and he could feel from the other hand clenching onto his shoulder that Bruce was either getting worried or was fighting back tears of the boy's lack of response.

"Dick, please go to sleep." The thirteen year-old turned his gaze away from the window and had them stare at the doctor, who looked stunned and horrified from the sight of his eyes.

"Bruce, I think it would be best if you leave." Leslie said, placing a hand on Bruce left-shoulder while keeping a hold of the clipboard that held Dick's condition in her right.

"No," the playboy said. "I have neglected and ignored Dick for far too long, and look what it made him do!... I'm not going to abandon him again, especially when he needs me right now." While the adults talked, the voice inside Dick's head came back.

_You did it again, you failure! And now look what you've done, Bruce is disappointed and unhappy to find you being cared for in the hospital!_

_'I tried, I really did, but he and Alfred must've came into the bathroom and called 911 to save me.' _The boy replied, feeling the hurt building up inside of him again.

_Well, then you should've killed yourself sooner! But now it's too late, because you had to screw up something so simple that even a Nobody could actually accomplish!... Now, instead of a Nobody, you'll soon become something even worse than a Nobody... A **Nothing!**_

Tears began to form into Dick's eyes, as his heart clenched in pain from hearing that new word that seems to pains him more than a **Nobody**.

_'No, I don't want to be a **Nothing!**' _He cried, lost in his own mind than listening to the doctor and Bruce.

_It's already too late for that, **Nothing**..._

"Dick? Dick!" A voice called out his name, bringing the thirteen year-old back to reality. Bruce was lightly shaking him by having his left-hand on the child's right-shoulder, and using the other hand to place a hand on the boy's left-cheek to guide Dick's gaze to stare into his navy-blue. "Dickie, speak to me. What's wrong, **P****utin **Pasăre**?**(Little Bird?)"

_Still being called 'Little Bird'? Ha! What a wasteful use of a name for a Nothing, which is more weak than being called 'Little Robin'! The way he keeps calling you his 'Little Bird,' is more like he's pitying you or is reminding you on how you fail everything!_

_'No, he calls me that because he loves me!' _Dick cried out. _'He told me so himself!'_

_But don't you see? Whenever he calls you that, the softer you grow and the weaker you get! And because of that pet-name, it's also a reason on how and why you fail him!_

_'But...'_ The boy didn't know what to say to the voice, or what to say to Bruce, except for one. **"****Am**** eşuat...**(I failed...)**"** Those words felt like a knife is stabbing Bruce's heart, and a cry of a robin to Leslie, even when she knows little of Romanian.

"Failed? What did you fail in, Dick?" The Billionaire asked the boy, trying to stare into the boy's lifeless eyes and not turn away from the startling sight of the colors. The next words that came, Bruce could've sworn that his heart had stopped and the air has been sucked out of his lungs.

**"Moarte...**(Dying...)**"** The hand that still laid on his cheek and shoulder slowly slide off of him, but not without shaking and trembling in fear or shock. Dick then turned his gaze to his left-arm, which has been bandaged and covering the scar that he has implanted himself to end his life. **"****Celestaz ar trebui să-am fost atât de uşor pentru a finaliza, şi totuşi nu am putut chiar să ia viaţa mea** **departe.**(It should've been so easy to complete, and yet I couldn't even take my life away.)**" **He then used his right-hand to clench onto his left. **"****Vocea are dreptate, eu sunt un Nimeni... Un Nimic...**(The voice is right, I am a Nobody... A Nothing...)**"**

"Voice? What voice? Dick, how long has this been going on? When did this happen?" Leslie decided to stay out of this, and watch how the two communicate with each other since the boy is speaking Romanian while taking notes. With each passing seconds with no answers, the billionaire grew more desperate and impatient on waiting for an answer from his son.

**"Pe zi, am văzut familia mea a murit în fața mea.**(On the day I watched my family died in front of me.)**"**

* * *

_**Lie to me, convince me that I've been sick forever...  
And all of this will make sense when I get better...**_

* * *

Four Months... Dick Grayson has been suffering with those feelings for four months, and nobody from the League or the Young Justice knew about it. Well, all except for Wolf and J'onn. Now everybody now knew how and why Robin is Batman's protégé and they had to learn that the hard way, especially the Team: Showing no emotions, and lack of expressing feelings.

The moment Black Canary told them of Robin's recent absents, they were all devastated from the news.

When Superman gave word to the rest of the League about Robin's suicide attempt, everyone went completely silent and terrified for the boy they thought of as their own son, nephew, or brother(for Captain Marvel, since he's really ten years old).

Gotham Academy had also been told about Dick's condition, and the word spread like a wild fire to the students and teachers.

However, when the villains heard about the Boy Wonder attempt to take his own life, they simply laughed in pleasure or glee.

**At Wayne Manor...  
**"When he said those words Alfred, I practically felt my own heart stop." Bruce told the butler, sitting in the chair in front of his parents picture and staring at dancing fire in the fireplace. "He was speaking in Romanian, and he sounded so lost... He was acting like the same eight year-old boy I took in, broken and in pain." He then placed his face into his hands, feeling tears threatening to spill. "I broke him... _We_, broke him, Alfred!... The team, the League, our villains, his school... But mostly me! I ignored him, pushed him aside, and I didn't even know that he was hurting all this time!" The tears finally fell, and then he cried. For the first time ever since his parents had died, Bruce cried. Alfred could feel the exact pain his charge is feeling deep inside his heart and could also feel the tears wanting to fall, but he knows that the man he raised as his own needed his help and guidance once more. He then walk towards the weeping man, and placed a hand on Bruce's left-shoulder.

"Master Bruce," he said. "You are not the only one to blame for what happened to Master Dick... I have also ignored the Young Master's presence, and would forget to either take him to school or pick him up when he is suppose to be home. He may be becoming a teenager, but he is still a broken child... Just as you are still, Master Bruce." The billionaire lifted his face from his hands and turned his gaze to the butler who has became a father to him when his has died, staring into Alfred's eyes with his tear streamed navy-blue eyes.

"Alfred..." He whispered, as he wiped away the tears off his face while pulling himself together.

"Don't forget, Master Bruce, you were suffering just the way he is when your parents had died. Now that history seems to had repeat itself for the Young Master from that training you placed him and the team on, we'll have to get him back on his feet and help him heal once more." Bruce then let out a sigh, knowing that everything he and Alfred had done for the boy for the last five years is going back to square one.

"Thank you, Alfred." He said, getting out of the chair and staring at the picture that held his parents. _'Mom, dad... I promise you both, that I shall not lose my son and your grandson again.'_ The adults then heard the sound of footsteps coming down from the stairs, both knowing that it was Richard. Wasting no time to spare, Bruce immediately left the room to see the thirteen year-old, who looked completely lost, confused, and in pain.

* * *

**Three Weeks Ago...  
**"Bruce, I think you should reconsider on what you're asking of me." Leslie told the billionaire playboy, both standing outside of Richard's room after getting him to fall asleep. "It would be best if he remains here, and-"

"Be treated like a prisoner under lock down? Like a bomb about to explode?" Bruce interrupted, looking rather mad but completely worried when he heard what Dick had told him in Romanian. While he and the doctor talk, the Original Seven of the Justice League that came to see the boy had left to give them more privacy and to make sure nothing bad had happened to their cities while they were gone.

"I didn't say he would have to be locked away in the room, Bruce. I'm just saying it would be best if he remains in the hospital, so he could be supervised more closely and get the help he'll need." Again, the playboy didn't like the sound of that.

"That sounds more like being kept as a dangerous prisoner," he said.

"I'm sorry, Bruce, but it'll be best for everyone and the boy if he were to stay in the hospital."

"So that he would believe that his friends don't like him even more? Think that those who care about him are abandoning him? Think that I no longer love him anymore, and only took him in as some charity case?" The reaction that Bruce was giving off startled the elder.

"Well, Bruce, according to all of Gotham, they all believe you only took Dick in as a charity case... And according to his records and with me being a friend of the family, you have yet to adopt him during the five years he had been placed under your care ever since his parents had died and had taken him out of the Juvenile Detention Center." The information pained the billionaire greatly. "So, in my opinion, Bruce, he's been suffering with these emotions for years rather than months." The next thing the doctor told Bruce, the billionaire could've sworn his entire being went numb. "And so, for the best we believe it is for Dick, we'll have to remove him from your care and place him up for adoption for a family that can actually heal him." That did it. The moment those words left out of the lips of Leslie, Bruce immediately went into a panic attack.

"No," he said. "You can't! You can't do that, Leslie!"

"I can, and I'm afraid that I'll have to, Bruce." The elder woman said, turning her back at the billionaire while opening the door to go back into Dick's room, knowing that Bruce is right behind her. "He's showing signs that he feels unwanted, that he doesn't deserve to live, and think that death is the only way to escape the pain he's going through." Anger boiled inside the billionaire, the need to protect the boy was kicking in, and he seems to not care if he would have to frighten Leslie to get her to change her mind.

"I won't let you take my son away from me, Leslie!"

"He isn't your son, Bruce! If he were your son, you would've adopted him long ago than had kept him as a charity case and not show any affection to let him know that you truly care about him!" They both soon heard the sound of whimpering from the bed, and caused both adults to turn and see the sleeping boy curl himself into a ball and shaking from the sound and volume of their voices. Now going by his parental instinct, Bruce swiftly made his way towards the child and began to comfort him, like he would do whenever Dick would have nightmares.

"Shh... It's okay, Dickie. It's okay." He whispered to the child, gently gathering the boy into his arms and slowly rocking him back and forth. "There's nothing to be afraid of, **Micul Meu Pasăre**(My little Bird)**.** I'm not going to leave you, just as I promised." Leslie could tell how much the boy means to Bruce and that he would do anything to have him back home at Wayne Manor, even if were to give up crime fighting and reveal his secret to the whole world that he is Batman. However, the comfort that the billionaire is giving to the boy was failing miserably, from the lack of response Dick is giving while still in his sleep and has curled himself away from Bruce instead of curling against him. The playboy laid his head against Dick's head. "**Micul Meu Pasăre**... Please, forgive me." He whispered. Not sure if she's making the right choice but knowing that there is a family that needed this child more than anything, Leslie made a final decision.

"Bruce," she said. "Though I may not be sure if I'm making the right choice, I'm going to give you and the Justice League another chance to help Richard." A smile of gratitude was placed on the man's face.

"Thank you, Leslie." He whispered, as he turned back to the child and placed a kiss onto Dick's forehead.

"However, I wish to have Dick in the hospital for at least a few weeks. To see if we can speed up some of his wounds from being Robin, and to make sure he's stable enough to head back to the Manor." Although he didn't want to be away from his son for that long, he knows that it'll help Dick recover from the recent battles. Not to mention, he won't be losing his son and he could trust Leslie one hundred percent with the boy.

"Fine," he said. "But only if I get to check up on him, either by day or night." The elder smiled softly at the man she helped raised with Alfred like a son.

"I'm pretty certain that the Dark Knight will still come, even if I were to forbid him from seeing his Little Robin, especially after visiting hours." She replied, which meant a 'yes' to the playboy.  
**End of Flashback...**

* * *

True to her word, after two weeks in the hospital and having some of his wounds treated, along with the cut on his wrist, Leslie allowed Bruce to take Dick back to the Manor. However, until he was deemed 'cured', Bruce has been given orders that he was to keep the boy within the Manor, Mount Justice, or the Watchtower so he could be closely watched in case he would try and pull another suicide attempt once more. Which meant he can't go to school, can't be left alone without him or the others he trusted with the boy, and needs to be sure the child doesn't bring anything that he can use to harm himself when leaving the Manor with Bruce. So far, things were not going very well for the whole week. In fact, it went horrible.

Monday: The moment morning came to Wayne Manor, Dick practically destroyed his room while trying to break something and use that piece to cut himself again. Unfortunately for him, Alfred and Bruce had removed every glass and any other sharp objects in his room, even his bathroom mirror has been removed with the glass that can withstand weather conditions. Because of that, he ended up with bleeding hands, along with bite and scratch marks all over his skin when he decided to use his own teeth and nails. Alfred wasn't home at the time, for he had to go and visit his niece in Europe for the week, so it was Bruce who had to drag him out of his room and tend to his injury in the living room instead of the Batcave.

Tuesday: When Batman had to take care of Gotham on his own and with Alfred still gone on his trip, he had the Justice League to look after the boy at the Watchtower. Instead, the moment they turned their backs, they had lost sight of the child and nearly lost him after Superman located him with his x-ray vision, finding the boy in a locked bathroom and had his head buried in a tub of water. It was a good thing Flash was able to go through the walls and pull the boy's head out of the water before he ran out of oxygen.

Wednesday: After pleading and begging with the Dark Knight, Batman decided to give the Young Justice, along with Roy's assistance, a chance to watch over Dick, since he had to go to a banquet and Alfred was still gone. So far, the team were doing very well on watching over their little brother, when M'gann suggested they watch the movie **'Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe'**. However, since they were all caught up to the movie, they didn't realize the little bird quietly leaving them and heading to the kitchen until Wolf smelt fire and then they all heard his cry. Kaldur had to put out the fire with his Water-Bearers, along with Conner's assistance with the fire extinguisher. Both Wally and Roy had to pull Dick away from the stove, while M'gann and Artemis went to bandaging up his left-arm that he just had over the fire.

Thursday: Batman was very disappointed to hear that Dick nearly roasted his arm off that night while he was at the banquet, but he knew it wasn't the team's fault. So, he decided to give them a second chance on watching over Dick. Thinking it would be a good idea to get the boy into the sun, Wally decided they go out and see a movie. Since Bruce didn't tell them to keep the little bird inside the mountain, the rest of the group got into their civilian clothes and went to the theater to watch '**The ****Lion King**' in 3-D. Though it may seem like a great movie to the teens and Roy, it was actually a sad and painful movie for Dick, for Mufasa's death made the boy rethink on how he watched his family fall to their deaths. And when Scar died, even though he was evil, Dick recalled the call he gotten from the hospital when informing him of his uncle's passing four weeks after the Flying Grayson's fall and going into a coma. So, when the movie reached to Scar bringing the news of Mufasa and Simba's deaths, he quietly left his spot and made a beeline towards the bathroom. When fifteen minutes passed by, Wally finally noticed about Dick's absence and quietly asked M'gann to track him with her mind. The martian did found him, but was completely startled when she looked through his eyes that he's been forcing himself to vomit all the food he had eaten earlier today. So, the team had to leave early before it gotten to the part of Simba heading back to Pride's Rock, and immediately took Dick back to the mountain to get him to eat and rest.

Friday: Bruce had an emergency call from Wayne Enterprises and since he couldn't rely on the team or Roy, after hearing Dick had been forcing food out of his stomach last night, he asked Barbara to watch over the boy since Gotham Academy was off the whole week. The commissioner's daughter couldn't reject to help when she heard it was Dick she was going to watch, and came to the Manor in minutes. Unknown to Bruce, that the moment he left, Barbara invited Artemis to help her watch the boy, and that moment gave Dick the perfect opportunity to escape. So, for nearly the whole day, both girls had to search high and low for the boy, until they found him standing on the edge of the rooftop and staring at the setting sun. He had his sunglasses on, but he also had pills in his hands. He was only able to swallow two of the pills and put a foot over the edge, but wasn't fast enough to let himself fall or eat another pill before Barbara and Artemis made a quick grab for his arms when he nearly fell asleep.

Saturday: Alfred finally came back from his trip, and was more than happy to watch over Dick when Bruce had to go back to work at Wayne Enterprises. However, since Alfred didn't came over to see Dick when he was in the hospital, he hasn't been expecting the boy to be withdrawn from him or to commit another suicide attempt. In fact, when he went into the child's room, he was more than horrified when he saw the warm, comforting nest had turned into a dark and gloomy disaster area. And while he was cleaning the room, he didn't hear or seen Dick heading towards the kitchen when passing the room until the butler heard some coughing and the smell of bleach. When he put two and two together and had found the child on the floor with the bleach bottle in hand, he made an immediate call for Clark at the Watchtower and demanded for both to be zeta up there. Both J'onn and Zatara were able to stable the boy, and remove the harmful chemical out of his body before it would've damaged his insides even more. However, they had to restrain the boy while being treated and to keep him restrained to the bed until Bruce came back from work.

* * *

Now, today was Sunday. And so far, nothing bad had happened... Yet, that is. Since Alfred hadn't been told about Dick and his behavior at the hospital, Bruce had decided to give him the information that morning. Now that the butler knows about the child he thought of as a grandson is suffering and how he should've noticed his attitude when he would be home, he knew that he and Bruce are going to have to heal the child again from step one.

Bruce stared up at Dick, watching the boy's every move that would give him a warning call that he's going to do something. Ever since the billionaire brought the boy back, the child has remained mostly silenced and would only nod or shake to yes or no questions. He is now wearing his usual workout clothes whenever he was to train, though Bruce had decided to keep the boy off training and locked all the doors and windows to keep him out of the Training Room. When Dick finally made his way to the bottom of the stairs, Bruce tried his very best to put a smile on his face and made his way towards the boy.

"Hey Dick," he greeted. "How are you? Feeling any better?" Dick slightly shrugged his shoulders to answer the question, not bothering to look up and see Bruce's face, and slowly made his way towards the living room. The smile soon vanished, as the playboy watches his son quietly made his way towards the living room. He followed the boy's direction, stopping at the entrance to watch the boy sit on the couch and turning the TV on the news, with Vicki Vale in front of the monitor.

**"And in other news, Richard John Grayson-Wayne, ward of Gotham's Billionaire, Bruce Wayne, has been released from the hospital for a week ****now**** and yet there has been no word of the boy's condition since then. Rumor has it that the boy has been continuously plotting more of his suicide attempts, and those actions alone has been-" **Dick turned the TV off to cut off her words, his expression completely blank but his eyes shining with disgust, anger, and pain. Bruce went towards the couch, sat beside the boy, and placed a hand on his right-shoulder. Dick shrugged it off, however, and turned his gaze towards the window, where the sky is cloudy and dark-grey sky looks as though it's going to pour heavy rain soon. Bruce now has no idea what to say to the broken child and now that Dick has rejected his offered comfort, he was completely stumped and uncertain what to do now.

**"Cât de mult?**(How Long?)**"** Dick asked, startling the playboy out of his thinking. Not only has Dick been awfully quiet, but he has also started talking in Romanian ever since he woken up in the hospital.

"How long what?" Bruce asked.

**"Cât mai ai de gând să mă ţină?**(How much longer are you going to keep me?)**" **The boy's words confuses the playboy.

"What are you saying, Dick?" Without warning, the child turned his view from the window to Bruce, and the billionaire was very much heartbroken when he saw the tears streaming down the boy's cheeks.

**"Doar recunosc, Bruce!**(Just admit it, Bruce!)**" **He cried. **"Tu doar ma luat în ca m-ai milă, pentru că mi-ar face un caz de caritate perfect pentru tine!**(You only took me in because you pitied me, because I would make a perfect charity case for you!)**"** His words not only pained Bruce, but it also angered him on how the child he raised as his own would think of him that way.

"What gave you that idea that I was only using you as a charity case?" The billionaire really hoped that the boy didn't hear his talk with Leslie from the hospital.

**"Eu nu cred, am ştiut tot timpul... Inca de la ziua în care am asistat la moartea a familiei mele şi când m-ai luat de la Centrul de detenţie pentru minori, am ştiut că am fost de gând să fie folosit ca un caz de caritate pentru ****cineva.**(I didn't think, I knew it all along... Ever since the day I witnessed the death of my family and when you took me from the Juvenile Detention Center, I knew that I was going to be used as a charity case for somebody.)**" **Bruce shook his head, not wanting to believe what Dick was saying to him. He then placed both his hands on the child's shoulders.

"Dick," he said. "If I had wanted you as a charity case, would I have kept you for this long? Would I have made you Robin the moment you wished to fight by my side?" He then bent his head over, and placed a kiss on the boy's forehead. "Would I have cared and loved you, whether it's in public or in private?" He then pulled the child towards him, hugging him as closely as he can to his heart. "Would I have called you my 'Little Bird,' a nickname to a child who is like... No, who _is_ my son?" He then hid his face into the boy's ebony raven-hair. **"Te iubesc, fiul.**(I love you, son.)**" **No words, nor movements came from the boy being held in the billionaire's arms, only the sound and feel of his slow breathing against his chest was all that told Bruce that he's alive. "Dickie?" Again, nothing came to his reply. In an act on fear, Bruce pulled away from the boy and lifted the child's chin to get him to look him straight in the eyes. He was still completely startled of the haunted look being held within Dick's Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes, but he pushed the thought aside and waited patiently for the boy to say something to him. Finally, a response came through. However, it wasn't the response Bruce was hoping for... Because Dick's response was a smirk, a low-smirk.

**"****Dacă aceasta este tot, dar un vis, atunci trebuie să fiu într-adevăr bolnav.**(If this is all but a dream, then I must be really sick.)**" **He whispered, bowing his head as if admitting defeat, while staring down at his bandaged hands. **"În cazul în care acest lucru este un vis, apoi am dori să mă trezesc.**(If this is a dream, then I wish to wake up.)**" **Bruce tightened his grip on Dick's shoulders.

"Dick, listen to me!" He cried. "You're not dreaming! This isn't a dream, not in the slightest! This is reality, as in the real world!"

**"Apoi, o dovedesc!**(Then, prove it!)**" **Dick yelled, pulling himself out of Bruce's grip and hopping off the couch. **"Dacă acest lucru nu este un vis, să se dovedească atunci!**(If this isn't a dream, then prove it!)**" **Bruce seem to know what to do, for he had to go through a dream that he thought it was real, but only to find out that the life he went through was created by the Mad Hatter. The billionaire leaned towards the coffee table in front of the couch both he and Dick was on, brought up the newspaper, and thrust it into the boy's arms.

"If this is a dream, Dick, then you shouldn't be able to read." He explained, as he watch the boy open the papers and staring down at the small black-words. "You can't read, while dreaming at the same time." He could see Dick's hands trembling, his eyes widening in shock, and his breath being held inside his lungs when he gasped. "You know that I speak the truth, and you already know that this is all real." He then launched a hand towards Dick's bandaged arm, grabbing the gauze that's wrapped tightly around the wound, and gave the bandage a quick tug to reveal half the burnt marks on Dick's skin. "You're even still in pain, and in dreams, you can't get hurt in one." The boy simply stared down at the angry red-skin.

**"Dar in vise, te poti visa la durere.**(But in dreams, you can dream yourself in pain.)**" **He said, clamping his right-hand over his injured one, hanging onto the remaining bandages still wrapped around his arm and slowly digging his nails into the wound. **"Chiar şi în vise, inca se simte durere.**(Even in dreams, you can still feel pain.)**" **Small droplets of blood slowly glided down the burns, staining through the gauze, causing Bruce to panic.

"Dick, stop that!" He cried, wrapping his hand around the boy's wrist and forcing the smaller hand away from the arm. "Stop hurting yourself, you're only going to make the wound worse!" That seemed to make Dick angry, as he yanked his wrist out of Bruce's grip.

**"Şi de ce vă pasă?**(And why do you care?)**" **He asked, ripping the rest of the bandages off his arm and holding the blood-stained gauze. **"Sau mai bine, de ce nu vă pasă brusc dacă mă doare? De ce nu vă pasă brusc dacă am sângerare? De ce ai decis brusc sa se comporte ca cineva care de fapt grija, atunci când ar impinge mereu ma departe sau arunca-mi o parte ca pe un instrument care nu mai poate funcţiona?**(Or better yet, why do you suddenly care if I hurt myself? Why do you suddenly care if I bleed? Why do you suddenly decided to act like somebody who actually care, when you would always push me away or toss me aside like a tool that can no longer work?)**" **Bruce couldn't find the words to answer Dick's questions, for he has no idea how to answer them or explain why he's been treating him like that. So, he decided to do something he never thought he would do unless it was necessary: Lie to the boy he sees as his son.

"Dick, you're simply confused." He quickly made up. "You've been sick for a while now, and all this yelling and commotions that has been going on this past week is making you delusional." He then got up to his feet and placed a hand on Dick's shoulder, making sure to keep a firm grip on the shoulder. "Come, lets take you to bed. Once you get your sleep and your strength is back up, this will all make sense once you get better." His words did get through to the boy, but not the way Bruce was hoping it would. Instead, his words were like knives stabbing Dick in both the back and chest, mostly to where his heart was beating.

Though he had been lied to by Batman when a patrol would be too dangerous for him and when he was still new to Wayne Manor, he had never been lied to by Bruce with no reason whatsoever... But, then again, he had always been lied to by many others long before he came into Gotham. His family had told him they would always be there for him, along with his circus family, but they left him the moment they fell and then the circus left him behind the day after the Flying Graysons perished. His teammates had promised they would work together as a team, a family, but the teens seem to have forgotten their promise when not on missions and simply ignored the boy to do what they wanted to do. The Justice League promised him they would always be there when he needs somebody to know how he feels, but they completely shut him out and silenced his voice from their minds. But Bruce's promise, a promise to never lie to him unless he needs to, was one of the most sacred promise that had made the boy very happy. Because to him, that promise meant he was one of the few people the Dark Knight truly trusted...

But now that he has broken his promise, now that they _all _broken their promises to the little bird, his wings are now permanently broken and his feathers have been ripped off of his arms. That small speck of light that remained in his eyes finally vanished, that one single speck of hope finally shattered, and is now replaced with complete empty windows of his eyes. Numbly, he allowed Bruce to take him to his neat and fixed room, which may seem like the colorful nest to Alfred and Bruce. However, to Dick, it was just a replica of his once colorful nest.

"If you need anything, you let either me or Alfred know." Bruce told the boy, bringing him to the made bed, pulling the dark-red covers back and helping the boy to lay down. "Though it may still be daylight, try to get some sleep." He then pulled the blanket back until it was underneath the boy's chin, letting it hide the boy's damaged and scarred body from his sight. No words came out from the boy, and his eyes only stared at the ceiling from above instead of his fa... No, not the 'f' word. His mentor, his caregiver, that was all the billionaire playboy is to him now. Bruce smiled down at the boy, seeing his eyes slowly closing and knowing that the boy is allowing himself to fall asleep. He then placed another kiss on his forehead, and gently stroked the boy's ebony raven-hair. "Sweet dreams, **Micul Meu Pasăre... Te iubesc...**(I love you...)**" **He then quietly left the room, not stopping to give the boy another glance, and close the door behind him.

The only light in the boy's room is the sun's light coming through the black-curtains, blocking most of its light so the room would still be dark but at least have some light for Dick to still see. As his eyes slowly closed to get him to the dream world, he turned to lay at his side and stared at the four pictures on the dresser at the right-side of his massive queen-size bed: A picture of him with the Young Justice Team, a picture of him with the whole Justice League when he was eight and a half... The last two, and most important pictures, are a picture of him with his whole circus family when he was four... And a picture of him, with Alfred and Bruce when they came to his eighth grade graduation when he was eleven. Just as he let himself to go into the dream world, he allowed two tears to stream down his face and let out a small message.

**"****La revedere de la voi toţi, şi pentru lumea pe care am cunoscut odata...**(Goodbye to you all, and to the world that I had once known...)**"**

* * *

_**I know the difference, between myself and my reflection  
**__**I just can't help but to wonder, which of us do you love?**_

* * *

_Darkness... That is all he can see, complete darkness. Surrounding him and the darkness, is grey-fog and white-mist circling and twirling around him and the empty darkness. But with each footstep he takes, he could hear the splash of waters underneath his bare feet but could feel no water splash onto his skin.  
_

"Where am I?"_ He wondered, hearing the echoing sound of his footsteps going throughout the darkness.__  
_

**"Where do you think?"** _A voice, low and serious, replied, startling the boy and getting him into defense.  
_

"Who's there?"_ He called out, trying to see through the darkness and fog, wondering where the voice was coming from.  
_

"Only you,"_ another answered. This time, it sounded light, but it also sounded scared and in pain.__  
_

"Where are you?" _Dick hollered out, hearing two more sets of footsteps coming his way._

**"Here,"**_ the low voice answered. The moment he turned around, a figure leap in front of him. And soon, he was face-to-face... With himself, his own reflection. The only complete different, this reflection is wearing the Robin costume, which technically makes him Robin. He then saw another figure coming their way, through the misty fogs, also revealing himself as Dick. Only this reflection of Dick was wearing his Gotham Academy clothes and his hair being smoothed down with gel, automatically making him Richard John Grayson-Wayne._

"You are both... Me," _he said. Both Robin and Richard shook their heads._

**"We may be the same person, but we are who others believe we are to them." **_The one in the Robin costume said, folding his arms out in front of him._

"To be more specific, our appearances is what tell others who we really are." _The one in the Gotham Academy uniform explained, placing his left-hand into his pants pocket._

"Okay... Then, who are you guys?" _Dick asked, earning a glare from the one as Robin and lowered glance from the other Richard._

**"You know perfectly well who we are, since you are us."** _The one as Robin then let out a tiring sigh._ **"Never mind, something told me you would want some explanations." **_He then placed his left-hand on his hip, and jerked his right-thumb at his chest._ **"I am Robin: Protégé, and... _Sidekick _of Batman, obviously." **_The second reflection gave Dick a friendly smile, though it was perfectly clear to the boy that it was just for show._

"I'm Richard John Grayson-Wayne..." _He then paused for a moment and lowered his head again with a hidden frown, looking as though ashamed on saying the next part before looking back up at Dick and putting on a fake smile again. _"Ward of Gotham's playboy billionaire, Bruce Wayne." _He then extending a hand out towards Dick, even though he knew that he wouldn't take it to shake. He then pulled his hand back._

**"Now that we've introduced ourselves to you, though you already know us perfectly well and we know of you too, it's time for you to introduce yourself to us." **_Robin said, tapping his foot a bit impatiently. Even up close, Dick was still having trouble seeing his two reflection. Richard cocked his head to the side.  
_

"Are you alright?" _He asked._ "Shouldn't it be hard for you to see in the dark, when you're wearing those shades?" _Dick's eyes widen in shock.  
_

"Shades?" _He said, placing both his hands at the side of his head, feeling the dark-glasses attached to him. He then pulled them off, making his vision a bit more clearer to see the two in front of him but could still see the darkness surrounding them._

**"Well, are you going to introduce yourself to us or not?"** _Robin pushed on, tightening his grip onto both of his hips. Instead of answering, Dick stared down at the clothes he was wearing: A hooded sweater with blue on the left and black on the right, a shirt that has green on his left-side, red on the right, and black in the center, skinny blue-jeans that he can run in, and black-and-white running shoes... The exact clothing he wore on the first day he came to Mount Justice, and the exact day the Team was made, only he was wearing a full-red shirt instead of half of three colors._**  
**

'But then again, I have been wearing either a green-shirt or a red-shirt when I'm at the mountain, besides my Robin suit.' _He thought, placing the sunglasses into one of his sweater pockets. _"To be honest, I'm not really sure on who I am." _He replied, rubbing the back of his head with his right-hand, while keeping his left into the pocket with his shades. _"Although, I only know one thing that I'm known for."**  
**

**"And what would that be?" **_Robin asked, who seemed to have calmed down from the waiting. Richard noticed the how uneasy Dick was, but remained where he stood. Dick soon let out a sigh._

"My name is Dick Grayson," _he said. His teeth soon clench against each other, his right-hand falling from his head and clenching into a fist, and the pain in his chest rising from what he is pained to say next. _"And to everybody to the world, I am a Nobody... Only a sad, lonely, orphaned, broken wing bird who can no longer fly... The Last Flying Grayson... Most of all, a Nothing..." _Both Robin and Richard turned their gazes to each other, then back at Dick, who had lowered his gaze to the ground. Robin soon smirked._

**"Though we may be different people right now, that's one thing we all have in common." **_He said, walking over to Dick and placing his left-hand on Dick's left-shoulder._

"We are also Nobodies, Nothings, to everyone." _Richard informed, also putting a hand on Dick's other shoulders. _"Heck, we've been Nobodies to everyone, ever since we've been created... Just like you."

**"For instance, I've been made to track down the bad guys and take them into justice."** _Robin turned away from the two boys. _**"However, 'DaddyBats' has to keep me away from most of the fights to claim all the glories, and more than half of them are easy pickings... I always knew he never needed a s_idekick, _and yet he keeps on training me and still has me be on Batcomputer duty. If he doesn't want me to fight crimes anymore or be at his side when there is danger, all he has to do was say 'You're fired' and then I'll be gone before he can say 'La revedere'."****  
**

"And what of the Young Justice?" _Robin growled from Dick mentioning about the Team._

**"Those guys? We wouldn't had become a team, if it weren't for me. Instead of a simple 'thank you' or a chance to prove myself that I'm a member of the team, they simply pushed me aside for being the youngest and smallest, but mostly because I'm human. I know, Artemis is human also, but she's older and they think she can take care of herself more than I can take care of myself... Hell, I practically throw my own life on the line for them and hack into the enemies information to make sure they get to see another day. But no, they had to keep me in the back of the row and yell at me for saving their lives."** _Both Richard and Dick lowered their gazes from the news on how Robin felt and what he has to go through, even though they already know how he felt. Richard then smiled sadly at Dick, even though he wasn't looking at him._

"If you think that's bad, wait until you hear my story." _He said in his cheering up voice, though it still sounded as if he's in pain. _"Every Monday through Friday, days when I would have school, everyone would pick on me, especially the teachers. Everyone makes fun of me because I'm shorter and younger than all of them. But deep down, I can tell they're only jealous of me for being smarter and more intelligent than any of them in my young age... And every time at lunch or after school, bullies would pick on me and call me names since everyone knows that I used to live in a circus. Even when students would come by and see the fight, they would either walk away and not help or stand around and watch the bullies beat me..." _Dick could see the pain and sadness held within Richard's eyes, but the reflection refused to let his smile down._ "Teachers would try and get me to crack on impossible problems, even when they could clearly see me injured or worn out from either Extreme PE or fights. And whenever the principal would call Bruce and tell him about my encounters with the bullies, he would simply shrug it off and not bother to come check on me or ask how I was doing... Barbara's always too busy hanging out with her friends and school work, that she barely says a word to me or about my injuries from patrol or bullies." _He then removed his hand from Dick's shoulder, and slowly backed away from the boy and to the spot he was at._

**"And no matter what we do to make things alright, it ends up making things worse to everyone, including ourselves."** _Robin then reached for his domino mask, and peeled it off of his face and stared down at the mask held in his left-hand. _**"****But despite our failures and foolish attempts to prove ourselves..."**

"We just keep going for them, and mostly for Bruce." _Richard came in._

**"Batman especially... It always has been, and will always be for either one of them."** _He then stared at Dick, as he also went back to his spot he was first at._ **"****But there is ****this one thing we can't help but wonder, and that is something you obviously wonder also."** _The three boys then glance at each other in the eyes, as if all are thinking the exact thing the others are thinking right now._** "Which of us do they, _he_, actually care for? Which of us do they, _he, _need more? Which of us do they, _he_... Love?"** _They soon all thought about their past, starting how they all got into this whole mess, precisely on the day the Flying Graysons had fallen to their deaths. Soon, it came to the Juvenile Detention Center, stopping Tony Zucco as Robin, fighting and enduring the battles of Gotham's Villains, meeting the Justice League, meeting the other sidekicks, forming the Young Justice... It became very clear to them, and that alone gave them the answer they've been trying to find for so long._**  
**

**"**Neither..."_ Dick whispered, pulling the shades out of his pocket._ "At the very beginning, the moment we've watched our family's fall..." _He then shook his head, with Robin and Richard doing the same. _"No, much longer than that... Perhaps, the moment we were made, when we were born, brought onto the world... Our destiny is to never have a family to be there for us, to comfort us in our time of need... To _**love**_ us." _He then placed his left-hand over his chest, with the sunglasses being pressed between palm and clothed-chest. Robin did the same with his mask, and Richard placed both hands instead of one.__  
_

**"Looks like we were meant to be alone... And for that, to also die alone."** _Robin suggested, placing the mask back over his eyes. He then fished out his grappling hook, aiming it behind him and towards the darkness. _**"Which means we'll have to try and take our life away to fulfill our purpose in life." **_He then released the hook. The three boys watches the line going through the darkness and misty-fog, waiting for it to either stop or to hear it latch onto something. The line soon stopped, and Robin soon prepared himself to let it pull him away. Richard got down on one knee, pulling out a black-helmet out of nowhere, setting a skateboard, that has also came out of nowhere, towards another direction._

"Wait!" _Dick cried, stopping the boys from making their departures. _"You haven't even told me about this place... I mean, shouldn't this all be a dream?" _Robin simply smirked at his question, while Richard gave the best heart-full laugh he can let out._

**"After all this time, you still haven't figured it out?" **_Robin said, turning away from the direction of the grappling hook and Richard doing the same with his skateboard._

"If this is not a dream, then where are we?" _Richard simply chuckled._

"Where else do you think we are in?" _Dick had no idea where, but he is one hundred perfect curtain that he isn't in the Afterlife, knowing perfectly well that he isn't dead. _"Dick... We are inside of your heart." _Dick was having trouble to believe that he was inside of his heart_, not sure on why he has darkness inside of him when he had tried to do good deeds.

**"Of what is what you've been holding within you, that is. Trust us, you're not evil, if that's what you're thinking from the darkness around us." **_That seem to have been a full relief to the boy, but it still didn't explain his other question._

"How did I ended up in my heart, when my dreams should be in my mind?" _Both Robin and Richard just smiled at his question._

**"Well, like the body and soul, the heart and mind are very important to everyone... They even say both heart and mind are almost as one with each other."**

"That's what Alfred used to tell us, remember?" _Dick smiled from the reminder, and then did something he had always wanted to do for a long time... He laughed. And soon, Robin and Richard joined him on laughing, despite the pain they feel in their hearts from the lesson they had learned from the person was was their surrogate grandfather._**  
**

'It feels so good, to actually be able to laugh again.' _The moment their laugh-fest was over, the three boys knew it was time for them to depart._**  
**

**"Well... It's been fun and all, but I'm afraid it's time for all good times to come to an end."** _Robin said to the two, waving a hand at t_hem. **"See you next time... If there will be a next time, that is." **_After that, he turned back to the grappling hook, pushed the button, and allowed the line to pull him up. Soon, he was gone and the fog made sure to leave no trail behind him. __When they were certain that Robin is truly gone, Richard let out a sigh and got on his skateboard with his left-leg and readying his right-leg to kick._

"Remember our motto, 'Get Traught or get Dead?' Looks like we'll have to abandon that motto, and get dead when the time is right." _He told Dick, also giving him a wave. _"However, we should try and stay whelmed, at least for the last time." _And with nothing else to say, he kicked at the ground and skated away. Now, it was only Dick Grayson remaining inside the darkness. No Robin, no Richard John Grayson-Wayne... Just Dick Grayson. His Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes stared down at the sunglasses, the same shades he had worn for so long and yet for very little time... The shades that had helped keep his identity safe and covered from his teammates and many other people._

'And these shades shall help keep my identity protected, even in death.' _He thought, slowly putting the shades back on his face and glancing to where he had seen his reflection for maybe the last time... He then, for the very first time in so long, he allowed a true smile to appear on his face. _"And I've said it before, but I'll say it again... **La revedere de la voi toţi, şi pentru lumea pe care am cunoscut** **odata...**" _He then placed his hands into his pockets, turned on his heels, and walked into the darkness like Robin and Richard had done. Before he could feel himself starting to wake up, he could clearly hear two crackling sounds from the darkness... The same crackling he would do to appear or disappear to his enemies or... **Friends**. He then also let out a crackling, letting it echo and sing with the other two crackling before he felt himself opening his eyes._

* * *

_**So, I bleed... I bleed... And I breathe... I breathe no-**_

* * *

The moment he re-opened his eyes, was the moment Dick recalled what just happened while he slept. Even if both Robin and Richard John Grayson-Wayne are really him in different clothing, he knows that both of them also felt the same as he does... And now, all three of them, rather as really one person, wish for this pain to be gone. Dick turned to his alarm-clock, staring at the blue-highlighted numbers on it: 8:49 PM. The boy slowly got himself out of bed and lightly push part of the black-curtain aside to see the sky, seeing dark-clouds had gotten darker and flash of lightning releasing its wrath greeted him. The boy smiled sadly at the sky, pulling the curtain back to cover it from his sight and staring at his dark room.

_'If I pull this off, this will be my last time seeing my room.' _He thought, going over to the dresser that had the four pictures and bringing out the one item that will help him go into a painless sleep: The Pills. Even though Barbara and Artemis had taken the pills he used to fall asleep while falling off the roof, they didn't know that he had kept a couple of more batches of the pills in case someone were to take the first pills from him. He then pulled out the second item he will need at his side: His pocketknife. Twelve days before they fell, Dick's cousin, John, gave him a pocketknife for his eighth birthday and Dick has always kept the small blade close by ever since he left the circus. Then he got out the third item that would help him the moment he leaves the Manor: His utility belt. He quickly placed the bet down, opened the exact pocket that has what he needed, and pulled out his grappling hook. _'One of Bruce's important rules: **"****Never leave home without your utility belt"**.' _He then shook his head, as he got out his black-sweater and placed his grappling hook in one of it's pockets. _'Sorry, Bruce, but I'm afraid I won't be needing the belt anymore... Not where I'm going.' _He then went towards the window again, unlocking it, and pushing it open to let the wind blow against his him. Even with a sweater, he could still feel the cool air that is now numbing his arms and pretty soon his legs once he's out. Before he hopped out, he took one last glance at the four pictures, admiring their colors and figures they had trapped within itself for life. He then smiled sadly at the images. **"****La revedere...**(Goodbye...)**" **He whispered, and then vanished the moment another lightning had strike and the rain began to fall heavily.

**Three Hours Later...  
**"Master Bruce!" The cry of Alfred's voice and the sound of the door being slammed open got the billionaire to wake up from his nap. The moment he had placed Dick to bed, was when he had also suggested on getting some sleep himself for in case another crime would come to Gotham again. Though he wished to get some more sleep, he was very grateful for the butler to let him sleep in a bit and to wake him up. However, the cry of Alfred's voice got the billionaire worried.

"Alfred, is something wrong?" He asked, sitting up from the bed and noticing the horrified look on the elder's face.

"Master Bruce, I can't find Master Richard anywhere!" He replied, running over to the man he had raised as his own son. When he heard the boy's name and saw Alfred running towards him instead of walking respectfully in the house, that got Bruce to fully wake up from his drowsiness.

"What? But I put him to bed hours ago! He should still be sleeping, from how exhausted he still looks!"

"I know, sir. But when I went to his room to check up on him, he was gone and his window was left wide open!" He then held something towards Bruce. "I also found this on his bed, and noticed that his grappling hook is not in its pocket." Bruce looked completely shocked when he saw the belt held in Alfred's hand, but was more startled when he saw the pocket that had Dick's grappling hook open and held nothing inside. "He's gone, Master Bruce." The flash of lightning came down after the butler finished his horrified news.

* * *

**At Gotham, up on a Building...  
**As the rain kept pouring down, the thirteen year-old sat on the edge of the tallest building of Wayne Enterprises, which was Wayne Tower, watching over the people of Gotham like he used to when he would patrol with Batman as Robin. The rain has now made the boy soaked from head to toe, his skin now numb to its touch, even with his sweater on. His Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes gazed tiredly over the city, the flash of lightning making everything in his sight go white for five-seconds flat.

_'Gotham's Amusement Park, Jack's Diner, Gotham Zoo...' _He then winced when he saw a building three blocks away from the building he sat upon. _'Gotham Academy...' _The giant high school stood tall and proud, the American Flag rapidly waving in the air, and the entrance shutting off anybody from entering the school at the dead of night. No matter how many times he pass through those gates, though, the walls that protects the students from the outside made him feel insecure, like a wild animal being caged against its Will. _'And that's something I no longer have, not for a very long time.'_ He then turned his attention towards the Gotham City Police Department, knowing that Commissioner Gordon is in his office right now and is waiting for any calls of crime going to be committed. _'And once there is, he'll go up the rooftop and activate the Batman Signal. And once Alfred or Bruce sees it, Batman will shortly arrive and stop the bad guys.' _He then slightly shook his head. _'Too bad for Barbara, for she has to stay home alone when she isn't Batgirl, and has to wait for her father to come home or until she hears trouble... Just like I had to, back when I was younger.' _His nails slowly glided over the hard brick underneath him, drawing out blood from his fingertips and causing them to leave bloodstains. _'Why am I wasting time, when I __could get it over with and just die? Gotham will be fine without me! They don't need Robin, they don't need Richard John Grayson-Wayne... And they most certainly do not need Dick Grayson at all.' _Another powerful flash of lightning came down, as the boy stood from his spot and placed both of his hands into his pocket of his sweater. In the left pocket, are the pills. In the right, is the dark-red pocketknife, which has a carving of a robin on both sides of the pocketknife. He pulled out the small-knife and flipped open the blade from the inside, staring at his tired and sickly reflection from the little-sharp blade. _'Should I?' _He wondered, pulling the left-sleeve of his sweater down and staring at the nearly healed cut on his wrist from his suicide attempt three weeks ago. He then placed the blade towards his left-wrist, just above the cut, which was evidence that he nearly took his own life away. His heart soon jolted from the feeling of the blade on his skin, causing him to jerk the pocketknife away from his wrist and grab his chest with his right-hand. _'No,'_ he thought. _'I shall not stain my cousin's gift with my own blood, nor will I use it take a life away, no matter how much I want to use the blade to draw my own blood.'_ He then closed the blade, putting it back into the right-pocket, and reaching for the pills from the left-pocket. _'Taking two pills at once won't hurt, but will only make me fall asleep quicker and lose more weight. Anymore than two on the same day, I'll start vomiting, higher chances of it being blood, and breathing problems... Take all the pills on the exact same day and time, then I will die and pass on in my sleep with no pain.' _He estimated at least twenty small-pills inside the small bottle. His first one had 10 left, so he would've most likely get seriously ill if he still had the first batch of his pills. And for that, he was actually glad that Barbara and Artemis took those pills from him last Friday. The turned the cap to open the bottle, popped one pill from inside, and stared at it.

_Go on... Do it, and you shall finally be free..._

_'The voice... Its back,' _the boy thought. _'I haven'__t heard from it lately, or maybe it was with me all the time and I've been too tired to hear its voice...' _Dick had to clench his hand around the pill in his hand, feeling and seeing the rain coming down a bit harder and trying to knock the pill out of his hand. While in his left, which still held the bottle, he placed them back into his pocket to prevent them from getting any smaller from the falling droplets of water.

_Hurry! You must do it, before Bruce or somebody else stops you!... Do not fail this time, like you have been for the past week..._

Small droplets of blood fell off from Dick's closed hands, his fingertips still bleeding from him clawing at the bricks earlier. He then re-opened his hand, seeing parts of his blood had coated itself onto the pill making it white with red-smug like spots. The red-coloring made the boy's stomach flip in disgust.

_'I should be use to the sight of blood,' _he thought. _'I've seen bloodshed all the time... Heck, I've seen my own blood when I cut myself and I didn't feel any discomfort at all!' _He then stared down at the street below Wayne Tower, watching the cars driving by and very few people of Gotham struggling on walking through the rain. His eyes widen when he realized why he felt uncomfortable from seeing the blood on the pills. _'That's right, how could I forget?... When they fell, they bled...'_ He then turned back to the pill, let out a deep sigh, and placed it into the right-pocket with his pocketknife. _'If I am still awake after eating the pills from inside the bottle, I shall eat this pill last.' _He then brought the bottle back out, and took a new clean pill out. Without hesitation, he popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it down after keeping his mouth open to allow some rain into his mouth as well to drink. _'One down, and only nineteen more to go...'_ He then pulled out the second clean pill from the bottle.

* * *

**Back at Wayne Manor, in the Batcave...  
"You can't be serious, Bruce!" **Superman cried out from the monitor, talking from the Watchtower to the Batcave.

"I am, Clark!" Bruce yelled, as he went and grabbed his Batman costume to suit up. "He's somewhere in Gotham, and I need to go out there and find him!"

**"You won't be able to find him on your own, Bruce!" **Superman argued, glaring at the billionaire that soon became the Dark Knight. **"Gotham is a very big city, and in the rain, Dick could probably be long go-"**

"Don't you dare say it, Clark!" Now the Man of Steel was getting the Bat-glare from the Dark Knight himself, feeling and getting the cold-shoulder from the glare he's getting. "Dick is still out there, I know he is!"

**"But on your own, you may not be able to find him in time."** Superman tried to be reasonable with Batman, knowing he has to get the Dark Knight to admit he needs help. **"That's why you should let us help you find him, since this is also our fault for his behavior." **Again, Bruce became too stubborn to back down.

"He is my son, Clark."

**"And he is our nephew, Bruce. He is also the Young Justice Team's baby-brother, which makes him our family also." **The Kryptonian then crossed his arms in front of his chest. **"Whether you let us or not, with or without your permission, we'll still come and find Dick."** Bruce know that he can't win this argument, even if he were to threaten the League and Young Justice by using their weaknesses. Besides, he had to learn by now that they are all family and they would never turn their backs to a family member in their time of need, whether he needed it or not. So, he let out a sigh of defeat.

"Fine," he said. "But the moment you find him, contact me and make sure he doesn't pull another suicide plot." Superman smirked at Batman's words.

**"We will, as long as you do the same for us if you happen to find him. We'll be on our way immediately, Superman out." **He said, and then the screen on the Batcomputer went blank. The moment the conversation ended, Batman immediately made his way towards the Batmobile and quickly hopped in.

_'Hang on, Dickie.' _He thought, starting up the engine and hitting the gas the moment the car started running. Back inside the Batcave, Alfred stood next to the Batcomputer, placing both hands in front of his chest and bowing his head as if to pray.

_'You can do it, Master Bruce.' _He said in his mind. _'Please, bring him back home... Bring him back to us...'_ And as if to agree or answer his call, even from down below, the butler could clearly hear the roaring of the thunder and the lightning._  
_

* * *

**Back at Wayne Tower...  
**He could barely hold his head up, but he didn't seem to care. His body swayed from side-to-side, even when he's no longer standing over the edge of the roof of Wayne Tower, but he payed no mind into sitting down or using the ledge to keep himself balanced... He could feel whatever inside of his stomach wanting to come out, but he made no move to fight the urge to hold it down and allowed whatever it was inside of his stomach to come out. He has been expecting the effects of the pills to kick in sooner or later, and sooner seemed a bit better than later. Not only was it bile, which was mostly water with some stomach acid, but it was also blood. The small puddle of his vomit has quickly turned into a giant puddle, after three or four bloody-bile came out of his stomach. Dick wasn't worried that somebody would find the puddle in this weather.

_'The rain will most likely wash it away,' _he thought to himself. _'And once I fall, nobody will know where I am until the sun shall come and I will already be long gone by then.' _He then looked up to the falling sky when his stomach decided to settle down for a while, watching the thunder rolling and the lightning releasing its wrath. "******Mamă, ********Tată**, Unchiul Richard, Mătuşa Karla, şi vărul lui John... Bunicul Thomas, Bunica Martha...(Mom, dad, Uncle Richard, Aunt Karla, and Cousin John... Grandpa Thomas, Grandma Martha...) Please, everyone in Heaven, forgive me for my past sins and what I am going to do... Please, accept my apology..."

His eyes widen when he immediately realized that he was spoke in English again, though he wasn't so sure why he didn't speak in it when he woke up at the hospital weeks ago. Maybe he didn't wanted others to understand him? Maybe he felt unworthy on speaking its language to those who are worthy on saying it?... Or maybe, he only wanted Bruce to understand him and those who can speak in his Romany.

_Hurry up, and die already! The sooner you're gone, the quicker the pain will go away and everyone can go on with life without you!_

Dick stared down at the remaining pills inside the bottle: Only two are left inside, and counting the blood-covered pill in his pocket makes it three. Which means, he has already swallowed seventeen pills in all. With shaky hands, he poured the rest of the two pills out of the bottle with his right and held the pills towards his mouth with his left. The rain had yet to cease falling, and the lightning came out a bit sooner than their usual time for the clouds to release their wrath. Because of the harsh vomiting and the effects of the pills, his vision has already begun to go blurry and is already seeing dots: Dark-red, dark-blue, dark-purple, and black dots blinking and surrounding his vision with the darkness. He clamp his hand around the pills, knowing that the rain has washed away most of the blood from his fingertips, and then brought the closed hand to his mouth. He allowed one pill for enter, pulled his hand back, allowed the sprinkling water to also enter his mouth, and quickly swallowed them down.

_'Eighteen...' _He thought to himself, gasping for air through the harsh cold and rain. He's been in the cold rain for so long, he thought for sure that ice would form around his him and get him to fall into a cold-sleep. He grew even more numb on the outside, while his insides kept on jamming around and his stomach kept doing flips. His exhaled breath, that no became small-mist, were giving very little warmth to his left-hand but that little offer was enough to get his hand to release the next pill into his mouth. _'Nineteen...'_

He then felt the urge to cough, which made his throat even more sore from having to vomit all the bile and blood that was just held within his stomach. He covered his mouth with both hands, hoping that the coughing will warm his hands much more than just blowing on them. As he continued on coughing, he felt something wet coming out of his mouth and onto his hands, which was sort of making him warm.

_'Saliva?... No, this substance feels different... And its scent and taste, it smells and taste like...'_ The moment he was able to settle down the coughing, he pulled back both of his hands and saw them coated with red-liquid... His blood. The clouds released its lightning and the rain kept pouring, trying to wash away the red-substance coating the boy's skin. _'I feel... So__ tired.'_

His vision grew even more blurry, and his hearing was already starting to make the rain around him go silence and the lightning as rumbling sounds. He then placed his right-hand tiredly into the pocket that held his pocketknife and the last pill. The white-pill is still coated with his blood, but the rain has already started to clean it.

_'Number Twenty, end my life and let it either be painful or painless when I pass on.' _He then raised the pill tiredly towards his mouth and closed his eyes, not noticing the sight or sound of an aircraft coming in from above.

* * *

_**Bleed!... I bleed... And I breathe... I breathe... I breathe... I breathe, no more...**_

* * *

**In Batmobile...  
_"Superman to Batman, do you read me?" _**Batman reached for his communicator.

"Read you loud and clear, Clark. You found anything yet?" He replied, keeping his eyes on the road while keeping the police radio on in case the cops have seen any child in this weather.

**_"Negative. Rest of the Justice League are still searching."_ **The Dark Knight tightened his grip onto the steering wheel, his eyes narrowing and his teeth grinding each other.

"And the Young Justice?"

_**"No words from them, ye-"**_

_**"Kid Flash to Justice League! I repeat, Kid Flash to Justice League! Do you read?"**_ Flash's partner sounded frantic and urgent, which caught the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel's attention.**  
**

_**"We read you, Kid Flash. You found anything?"**_ No words came to answer for a minute, until the Speedster finally replied with shocking news.**  
**

_**"We need help... We had found him on top of Wayne Tower and now have him within the Bio-Ship, but he's in very critical condition... He's dying..."**_ Now it was the adults turn to stay silent from the news and Batman slammed onto the breaks of the Batmobile, his eyes from underneath the cowl widening in shock and horror.**  
**

_**'He's dying... He's dying... He's dying...'**_ Kid Flash's words echoed through his mind, repeating itself over and over like a broken record-player._**  
**_

_**"Bruce, Clark, what should we do? Take him to Mount Justice?"**_ The Speedster was now in a complete panic, and that suddenly brought the Dark Knight back from his thoughts. **  
**

"Yes," he answered. "Head back there, but head towards the Zeta-Beam immediately the moment you're back inside of the mountain; the Watchtower's having a small malfunction and we're fixing repairs for its immediate zeta-beaming, so we have to take the Zeta-Tubes to get to base. We'll have J'onn beam you to the Watchtower for emergency treatment, so try and keep him breathing... And Wally, keep him alive."

_**"Roger, Kid Flash, out!" **_Soon, the line from Kid Flash went silent, and Batman then turned the Batmobile back to Wayne Manor while calling towards the Watchtower.

"Batman to Watchtower, come in!"

_**"Watchtower, over." **_It was J'onn who replied, just as the Dark Knight has predicted.

"Young Justice has found and got Dick, and are heading back to Mount Justice. Have the Zeta-Beam ready to teleport them to the Watchtower, and have doctors ready for emergency treatment."

_**"On it, and I believe you shall inform the rest of the League of the news?" **_Instead of answering the green martian, Batman turned the communicator off.

_'Once I reach the Batcave, then I shall tell the rest of the League.' _He thought to himself, avoiding every car that was slowing him down while speeding but making sure to slow down in the pouring rain. _'It would be best to tell Alfred first, though.'_

* * *

**With the Young Justice Team...**  
The team has been quiet for the past ten minutes, and the only sound that greeted their ears are their breathing and Wolf's whimpering. None of them would've thought they would witness their youngest teammate, their baby-brother, their Little Bird, to let himself fall without his grappling hook and welcoming death with open arms. Red Arrow, who has been with the team ever since they were told of Dick gone from the Manor and in Gotham City, tightened his grip onto the bundle that has been in his hold the moment Miss Martian levitated him from his fall and placed him into his arms. Kid Flash sat next to the older redhead, gripping onto Dick's hands with his own hands in hoping to get some warmth back into them by vibrating fast but slow to make sure he doesn't burn the boy too much. Wolf sat at the left-side of Red Arrow, placing his head onto Dick's chest in hope of helping the Speedster to warm him.

"He's going to be alright... Isn't he, Roy?" Kid Flash asked Red Arrow, his hands slowing down on vibrating the hands in their grasp and his eyes beginning to form tears in his eyes. The rest of the team, except for Wolf, turned their attention to the eighteen year-old, wanting to hear from the eldest of the team his answer for their youngest. Red Arrow was at a loss, not sure how to answer his older little-brother about their youngest-brother. So, he spoke truthfully.

"I don't know, Wally." He answered, his eyes lowered to stare at the unconscious boy in his arms and watching Wolf gently licking Dick's arms and face to get rid of the rain that clung to his skin.

"But!... There's got to be something we can do, Roy!" Tears streamed down Kid Flash's face, his hands stopped vibrating and simply tightened their hold. "There's just got to be something, anything to help him!"

"You heard what Batman said, KF. All we can do right now is get him to Mount Justice, and hope that the Justice League at the Watchtower can save him in time." Soon, the room grew quiet once more, most of them lost in thoughts about their baby-brother dying in front of them and the only thing they can do is get him to the mountain in time.

"We've reached Happy Harbor!" Miss Martian cried, smiling when she saw the mountain coming into view and quickly got the Bio-Ship inside the Garage of the mountain. Even though he didn't want to let the boy go, Roy reluctantly handed Dick off to Kid Flash and the team watched the two zoom out of the aircraft the moment the door opened. Roy then pushed onto the communicator. "This is Red Arrow to Watchtower. We're back at Mount Justice, and Kid Flash is already heading towards the Zeta-Beam. Have doctors be prepared for arrival, and hurry!" He didn't wait for a reply back, and he and the rest of the team didn't care as well. What they all do care right now is getting to the Watchtower and to be there for the boy once he pulls through... Or, _if _he pulls through.

* * *

**Two Hours Later, in Watchtower...  
"Side-effects of the pills have damaged his stomach!"**

**"Body temperature dangerously low, bad case of Hypothermia!"**

**"He's losing a large amount of blood, going to need a blood transfusion!"**

They can all hear what the doctors were saying through the locked doors the moment the thirteen year-old was brought in, and their words seems to worry the Young Justice and Justice League even more about their Little Bird.

Even though J'onn and Zatara are helping the doctors treating the boy, they knew that time isn't on their side at the moment and Dick is very much close on dying. The one closest to the door was Batman, who's now Bruce Wayne in a Batman Costume and cowl down, with his head buried in his hands and allowing silent tears to roll down his face.

Nobody knows what to say to the Dark Knight. Not Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Aquaman, or even the most talkative Flash. Aqualad, Kid Flash, Red Arrow, and Artemis sat beside their mentors. While M'gann went to sit with Wonder Woman, since her uncle is helping the doctors with Dick's surgery, and, to everyone's surprise, Superman allowed Superboy and Wolf to sit with him. If that wasn't shocking enough, the Man of Steel pulled the Boy of Steel into a hug, with the teen-Kryptonian returning the embrace.

Suddenly, the doors of the ER opened and everyone turned to face J'onn and Zatara. Both had worried and sad expressions on their faces, making those who're waiting fearing the worse. M'gann got up from her spot and went towards her uncle.

"Uncle J'onn?" She asked, placing both hands in front of her chest.

"We have a problem," the older martian said. "We need to do an emergency blood transfusion..."

"What's the problem?" Superman asked. "Do you need to know what blood-type he is?"

"No, we already know what it is." Zatara replied, looking rather scared. "It's just that, we don't have the blood-type he needs."

"And his blood would be?..." J'onn stared at Flash from his words.

"AB Negative," he answered. "One of the rarest blood-type in the world, and very few people on Earth has that kind of blood." The team and Roy slowly turned and faced each other from the news.

They've all taken health class and had learned about the blood, along with playing a game that involves to finding out which blood goes to the right patient for a blood transfusion. Even though that AB Negative was the rarest blood to have and not many people with different blood types can receive or give for a blood transfusion, it did not mean that it was the only blood type that a AB Negative blood type donor can only have.

Wolf cocked his head to the side in confusion, not understanding what the humans know about their systems within their body and life or seeing the problem was, since the League can do almost any problem that comes their way... _Almost_ any problem, but not all of them and from the looks on the older martian and magician's faces, they weren't prepared for this problem.

"Well, then, get somebody who has the same blood or a negative blood type and do the blood transfusion." Roy suggested, not noticing the problem the two have at the moment to the redhead's words. Giovanni let out a deep sigh, which was also his sigh of regret.

"That's... The problem, I'm afraid." He replied, now being gazed by confused looks by everybody. "Unfortunately, we've run low on blood in our storage from our previous battles and because there are many of us with Positive RH (Rhesus factor), we don't have any Negative RH blood at the moment." It was dreadful news to hear and everyone in the group were suddenly in a panic.

"Then, can't you have the other Justice League Members to come and donate their blood to save Robin?" Aqualad asked.

"We can't; many of the League Members are on missions, both on and off-world missions." Aquaman answered, regretting that the many of their teammates aren't here to help save their Little Bird, let alone know on what's happening to the youngest of the Young Justice Team.

"Can't you morph your blood to match his blood-type, Uncle J'onn?" M'gann asked, her Amber-brown eyes pleading for her uncle to do so and having tears that are ready to be shed if her suggestion was to be turned down. The older martian shook his head from his niece's plea, regretting it now more than ever.

"My blood will simply put too much strain into his body, and he's already in a lot of stress from the effects of the pills. The results would end up being the same if you were to do so, M'gann."

"What about one of us?" Conner asked, his hands clenching into fists and was ready to break away from Superman's grip and punch something to release his anger. "We can give our blood to him, we can save him!" Superman could tell how desperate Conner was getting, along with offering his own life-giving blood to save a preteen who's not only his first friend, but also his youngest brother who had always looked up to the clone as family before the team had even officially became his family. J'onn shook his head.

"We've checked on all of your profiles and blood-tests... I'm afraid none of you, even Zatanna and Raquel, are the right blood-types." As soon as he heard his word, Artemis looked completely startled.

"Wait a sec," she said. "Are you saying that none of us, not _one_ of us, has a blood-type of Negative RH?" To their shocking discovery, both martian and magician nodded their heads.

"That is correct, Artemis." J'onn said. "As you know, your blood-type is AB Positive. Both Roy and Wally's blood-types are B Positive, and both Zatanna and Raquel's blood-type are O Positive."

"And what of Conner, Kaldur and I, Uncle J'onn?" M'gann asked in confusion.

"In Earth term, your blood-type is A Positive, M'gann. Lastly, both Conner and Kaldur's blood-types are AB Positive... I'm afraid that even if one of you three were to have a blood-type with Negative RH, your other parts of your blood will only worsen his condition because of different origin." At the moment, the teens were getting more anxious, but mostly angry on what they can't do to help their little brother. Even Kaldur was loosing his patients and control over his emotions, and that's something very rare to have the Atlantean to go in a rage when it didn't involve with a mission.

"Zatara, can't you just summon up the same blood Dick has?" Kid Flash asked, getting frustrated on how they're just giving up so easily.

"I may be a magician, Wally, but I cannot summon something that very few people or Earth has." Giovanni replied. "The only thing we can do is find a donor, who has a Negative RH or the exact same blood-type, and hopefully, save Dick in time, but I'm afraid we're running out of time and we'll possibly be too late if we don't find one immediately." The group stared at each other, all thinking and wondering who they all know who has a Negative RH blood or a blood-type of AB Negative.

"I know who," a voice said. Everyone turned their attention to the one who spoke, and to their startling surprise, it was Bruce, with his cowl down behind his neck and still in his Batman suit. He then got to his feet, his face looking completely blank, but his eyes held determination and devotion. J'onn could tell what he meant, and Zatara looked completely surprised when he saw the look and connect it to his words.

"Yours..." The magician said, earning a short nod from the Dark Knight.

"Yes, mine... By some miracle, I am also an AB Negative... You can use my blood to transfer it to Dick." Both Martian and Magician turned to stare at each other, as if having a silent conversation, and then nodded their heads after staring for six seconds.

"Come with us; we must act fast and transfer the blood to the boy, before his heart gives away once more." J'onn told the billionaire, as he and Giovanni escorted him into the room and get everything set up to transfer his blood to the thirteen year-old child. Now with the doors of the ER closed and once again locked to keep outsiders from coming in, all the group can do now is home and pray for a miracle.

TBC

* * *

I was thinking on how this song almost matches to Dick, only the song seems to be about a girl than a boy. Other than that, that's what I think this song is a lot like for Dick.

His training clothes are the clothes he wore on Episode 8: 'Downtime'. And for those who know the song 'Country Boy' by Aaron Lewis, I did get that line from the song. And for those who don't, it's "_And I've said it before but I'll say it again"_.

If you're wondering which four were talking in the hospital, they were Clark, Ollie, Orin, and Barry.

**R&R**


	2. Far From Home

_**Another day in this carnival of souls...  
Another night settles in, as quickly as it goes...**_

* * *

As the group awaits for the news on Dick's blood-transfusion, they all wondered the same question that has been going on through their heads... How did this happen, and when did it all started? Sadly, nobody knows the answer, and they were certain that the Great Detective himself wouldn't be able to find the answer himself. While their minds are set on the boy, Superman thought of something that finally caught his attention and mind.

"What happened?" He asked, staring at the other heroes and keeping a grip on Conner in his hold. The teens turned to each other, not sure on how to tell Superman what happened when they found the boy. Finally, Wally decided to speak first.

"Well... When we found him, he was on top of Wayne Tower, in the pouring rain... He was going to take the last pill to end his life, but we stepped in before he could get the pill into his mouth."

* * *

**Flashback...  
**As lightning flashed its light in the pouring sky, Superboy was the first to find something from the cause of the lightning.

"I see him," he said. He then pointed a finger towards the building, where he could clearly make out a small-figure swaying over the left-side edge of Wayne Enterprises. And he knew, from recognizing the design of the clothing and the characteristics of the figure's face, despite there being no pair of shades he would see that would cover the Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes, it was Dick Grayson. Miss Martian made the Bio-Ship go towards the direction the Boy of Steel was pointing towards, and they were soon hovering above the child and the building he sways on.

"Something's wrong with him," the martian said. "I sense a bunch of negative emotions surrounding him: Anger, Pain, Fear, Depression, Unsure, Confusion, and a bunch more... But I also sense Determination, Understanding, and Relief."

"What?" Kid Flash said, with he and the rest of the team confused from hearing the three emotions that are the opposite of the negative emotions. "Why does he have those kinds of emotions?" He then turned back to see the thirteen year-old on the roof, noticing holding a shaky-fist in front of his face. "Roy, what is he doing?" Even if they were inside the ship, the Speedster didn't realize he just said Red Arrow's identity. Though the pouring rain made it a bit hard for him to see what was going on down below, the older-redhead could clearly see Dick trying to get his hand towards his mouth.

"He has something in his hand, and he seems to be having trouble getting it to his mouth." He explained, glaring at the shaky-fist. He then turned to the clone Kryptonian. "Superboy, think you can use your X-Ray vision to see what he has in his hand?" The Boy of Steel nodded his head, narrowed his eyes, and aimed his X-Ray vision towards the thirteen year-old's hand. At first, he thought it was nothing when he couldn't see anything except for blood and rain held within the boy's hand. However, when he noticed something small and white, along with it being covered in dry-blood, the clone Kryptonian knew it wasn't good news after recalling his study of medication pills from Dr. Nesmond at Cadmus. He then turned to Red Arrow.

"Did you know anything about him taking pills?" Both Kid Flash and Red Arrow widen their eyes from the question, while Miss Martian was completely startled from the news and both Artemis and Wolf looked completely guilty. The blonde then raised her hand, gaining Superboy and Miss Martian's attention since she was sitting behind the two redheads.

"I did," she said. Red Arrow turned in his seat to face the younger-archer and gave her one of his glares whenever one of his brothers were hurt.

"And you didn't bother on telling us!" He yelled, looking ready to jump out of his seat and attack the blonde if Kid Flash hadn't gotten out of his seat to hold him down. Artemis turned her gaze to the ground, holding herself as if cold.

"Barbara and I didn't know he had extras, since we took the pills from him when he tried to fall off his roof last Friday." She then dug into her pocket, and held out a small-white bottle to the older-archer. "We noticed that these pills aren't the ones you can find in a store, since these pills are diet pills combined with sleep pills and... According to what we found out from our Science Lab in school, they're also mixed with Ipecac." Kid Flash was more in a panic than ever.

"You mean... Dick made the pills himself?" He then turned his gaze back outside, seeing the hand nearing its destination. He then turned to Miss Martian. "You gotta let me out, now!" He cried. Without having to be told twice, Miss Martian created hole for the Speedster to go through and the team all watch Kid Flash making his way towards the boy.

**Outside the Bio-Ship...  
**The moment he was out in the pouring rain, Kid Flash was immediately cold from the falling water's touch.

_'How can Dick stand this weather?' _He wondered, landing onto the roof and only feet away from the boy. "Dick!" He called out, hoping that his voice would be heard through the harsh wind. And luckily for him, he was heard when he saw the thirteen year-old's head lift up a bit and slowly turned to see who was behind him. Even with the rain falling rapidly in front of his face and the night making it a bit hard to see, the Speedster could clearly see pained Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes staring back at him. He could also see the droplets of blood gliding down from both sides of the boy's lips, making the Speedster think of a vampire-movie he watched with his uncle. "Dick..." He whispered, slowly walking towards his friend. Dick's eyes glared at the redhead.

"What do you want, Wally?" His voice, low and cracked, surprised Kid Flash when he spoke in English instead of Romanian.

"Dick..." That was all he could say, staring at the complete mess of his little-brother, especially in the rain. He then held a hand out towards the boy, even when they were spaces apart. "Come with us, Dick, we'll help you." Instead of listening to the Speedster, Dick simply glared at him... Until he smirked, a smirk that didn't sounded friendly or trusting, but a smirk that means disbelief and lost in faith.

"So, now you finally want to help?" He said, his fist clenching over the pill. "Is that all I have to do, in order for you guys to actually start caring about me? It only took me to simply kill myself, and then you all decide to finally give a damn about my existence!" Kid Flash wasn't sure what to say to the thirteen year-old, so Dick continued. "Well, guess what, Wally? I finally come to realize that I don't need help from any of you, especially on what I'm going to do!" He then lifted his fist hand towards his mouth, feeling his adrenaline giving him warmth through the rain and the strength to move. Even if he were to use his speed, the Speedster knew he wouldn't be able to stop the boy in time and would result to bigger problem.

_**[Miss M, stop him!] **Wally_

_**[On it!] **M'gann_

Before the pill was about to slip through Dick's lips, his hand was suddenly stopped from some sort of force and the pill now hang between the middle and pointed finger. Dick's eyes widen in shock when he felt his hand being frozen and now having no control of it. He then noticed the Bio-Ship, and knew that it was Miss Martian that's preventing him from eating the last pill. As if like a wild animal, the boy let loose his cry of anger and was snarling rage.

"Let go!" He yelled. "Damn it, let me go!" As he try to break free from the Martian's control, Kid Flash slowly made his way towards the struggling thirteen year-old.

"Calm down, Dick." He said, as he made himself halfway from where Dick is. "It's alright, we're going to help you." His words seem to have angered Dick even more, for he was greeted by the boy's now soulless eyes that used to held hope.

"By ignoring my cries after wrapping my wounds, and forgetting about me until you hear my next suicide attempt?! Forget it, Wally! You all had your chances, and you blew them after we all had the therapy session with Dinah from the Training Stimulation incident!" As he kept struggling and yelling, Kid Flash noticed that his hand was slowly beginning to move.

_**[His emotions are too strong for me to withstand, I'm losing my hold on him!] **M'gann_

_**[Kid, you have to get that pill and restrain Robin!]** Kaldur**  
**_

_**[What? I can't do that, Aqualad! He's our friend, our brother...] **Wally_

_**[Wally, we have to do this if we want to save his life!] **Roy_

_**[But Roy...] **Wally_

While the team were talking, Dick immediately drew out his pocketknife from his pocket and flipped open the blade.

_'The most painful thing I have to do, especially right now, is breaking a promise to get the job done... Forgive me, John...' _He then raised the knife over his trapped him, making sure that the blade is aiming for his hand, and then took a deep breath. After collecting as much air he could get in his throbbing lungs, he plunged the small-blade into his right-hand and caused the hand to bleed. At the same time, to let the last pill fall into his awaiting mouth. _'Pill Number twenty, end my pain and suffering, and let me finally pass on.'_

_And once you're gone, everyone will be better off without you dragging them down... Well, goodbye forever... **Nothing**..._

Dick then put on a sad smile from the voice's words, and from having to break his promise on not using the pocketknife to spill blood. However, his mind was quickly distracted on how his vision was getting weaker and his breathing was growing more shallow than before.

_'Is this really the end?' _He wondered, as his ears slowly began to go deaf to block out the sounds of Wally's cry or the teams Telepathic cries. _'Is this how Robin's suppose to die?' _He then reached for the pocketknife that was still plunged into his hand, slowly pulling the blade out and stumbling backwards towards the ledge. He then leaned his head back, staring tiredly at the clouds releasing the cold droplets of water to wash away his blood and the lightning releasing its cry. _'Is this how Richard John Grayson-Wayne's suppose to die?' _His body then grew heavy, which explains to why his back was now pressed against the ledge and his legs giving out. As he felt himself slinking backwards, his left-hand that still held the pocketknife clench itself around the small blade, while his right let itself slip off of the hard-material of the building. Even with his five senses slowly going off, along his heart and mind shutting off, he still put on a tiring smile on his face. _'Is this how Dick Grayson's suppose to die?' _With the help of gravity and a harsh force of wind made by Kid Flash when he tried to reach out for his friend, the boy finally got his death wish... To die falling, just like his finally. _'Yes... This is how we're suppose to die...' _Before his world went into darkness, the last thing he saw was the completely shock on Kid Flash's face and his right-hand still extended towards him... Just like he had done that very night...  
**End of Flashback...**

* * *

"And that was when M'gann caught him with her Telekinesis, and then we immediately went towards the direction to Mount Justice." By the time Wally had finished his story, the tears he had been trying to hide had finally came out and he buried his face into his hands. "We could've lost him, and we would've lost him if M'gann hadn't captured him when I couldn't... Some Speedster I am, I'm suppose to be the fastest kid on Earth and I was too slow to grab him before he was starting to fall." Flash wrapped an arm around his nephew, pulling the sixteen year-old towards him to have the younger Speedster cry on his shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault, Wally." Flash told the redhead.

"But if M'gann hadn't caught him, then it would've been my fault! I would've helped my brother kill himself!" Flash simply tightened his hold on his nephew. Kid Flash wasn't the only one blaming himself for what happened in Gotham, for the teams are also blaming themselves and allowing tears to spill from their eyes. The League were still completely startled from what they've been told, especially shocked that Dick would've died the same way his family did five years ago. And even from hearing their words and the sight of the boy's wounds being evidence enough to back up their story, they still couldn't believe that a bright thirteen year-old child, would actually take his own life away when his life is completely perfect... Or so they thought.

**Three Hours Later...  
**After waiting for three hours, the doors finally opened and out came J'onn and Zatara, with no Bruce in his bat-uniform. Most of the team were asleep, only having Roy and Wolf awake with the Justice League.

"How'd it go?" Oliver asked, keeping an arm around the older-redhead's shoulders while Dinah holds Artemis. Both martian and magician stared at each other, one looking rather uneasy and the other looking completely blank. Wolf, who seemed to sense something wrong, walked up towards the two and let loose a couple of whimpering as if asking them 'what's wrong?'. J'onn then nodded his head to Zatara and then turned back to go back into the room, where Dick and Bruce are currently in. However, Wolf got in front of him of the door and gave him a low growl. It was obvious that the white-wolf wanted to go in and see Dick, and to know why they were ignoring his question.

"You may come, Wolf." J'onn told the white-animal, pushing one of the doors open and letting Wolf go in first before he went back inside himself. Giovanni lowered his gaze to the floor, dreading what he was going to tell the group while the martian is going to most likely tell Bruce once he wakes up.

"Zatara?" Dinah asked, placing her right-hand over Oliver's left. "Is Dick going to be alright?" The magician knew he couldn't keep the truth from them any longer, and with most of the team sleeping, it was going to be more painful to tell them about their youngest member.

"The blood-transfusion went well, just as we hoped." He explained, lifting his gaze to the group. "However, there's a problem: Due to the amount of stress Dick has suffered for so long and the effects of the pills he has taken... We had to make a difficult decision in order to save his life, and help him recover..."

* * *

_**The memories are shadows; ink on the page!  
And I can't seem to find my way home...**_

* * *

**A Week Later...  
**One week... It has been a whole week since Giovanni told the Justice League from that night about Dick's condition, six days since the team and the rest of the League had been told after returning to the Watchtower from Earth... However, to Bruce, it seemed like an entire eternity when J'onn told him that exact night his Little Bird has been put in a comatose state after his heart gave out twice during surgery and once during the blood transfusion. To say Batman was furiated when he heard the news, was an understatement. When he was given the news, he was beyond pissed and was about ready to murder J'onn after he received the news. However, deep down, he knew what the martian did is keeping the boy alive. But even so, it still pained the playboy to see his son motionless on the bed and stuck within the Land of Dreams, with a possible chance that he may not be able to wake up.

_'Just like his uncle,' _he thought. _'Falling towards his death, only to be in a comatose and pass on in his sleep.' _The sound of doors sliding open, and the sound of footsteps entering the room brought Bruce from his thoughts and turn to see his faithful butler and father-figure. "Alfred..." With tired eyes, the playboy could still tell how upset and worried the elder is right now about the boy on the hospital bed.

"I came to see how you and the Young Master are doing, Sir." Alfred informed, then holding out both of his arms to show Bruce what looks to be a small-black journal. "I also came to inform you, that I had caught Master Wallace and Master Roy snooping into Master Richard's Journal. It seems that they have found something interesting, and yet startling discoveries from reading the Young Master's personal thoughts." Bruce narrowed his eyes from the information he's been told.

"Where are they?" He asked, slowly getting out of his seat and gently taking the butler.

"They are both in the Entertainment Room, with the rest of the team accompanying them. Both seemed rather upset, and I believe it's more to what they just read than what they just committed."

"And the rest of the team?"

"Also upset, Sir."

"Which means they've also read Dick's Journal." Before he could make his way to leave the room, Alfred placed a hand on Bruce's right-shoulder to stop him.

"It may be best not to crush them than they already are, Master Bruce." The elder then turned his gaze to the thirteen year-old, who was simply sleeping and hadn't moved a finger after being placed in a coma. "Besides, I believe they did the right thing by reading his Journal, though I also believe it was not very wise of them to read his feelings and secrets he had kept for so long." The playboy stared down at the journal in his right-hand, then lifted his gaze to Alfred, and then to the sleeping child.

"Have you?..."

"No, Sir. Though, I planned on doing so later on when the time is right." Bruce nodded his head and then made his way out of the room, leaving the butler to take care of his pride and joy that is hanging on to a thread.

* * *

**In Entertainment Room...  
**"Would any one of you want to tell me who, in their right mind, suggested on reading Dick's personal thoughts that he wants to be kept as a secret?!" Bruce yelled at the team, glaring down at them with his tired Navy-Blue eyes. Even when he's in his civilian clothes and wasn't the Batman at the moment, he can still be scary and prove to not be taken so lightly. The team shivered and coward at his gaze, even Roy was completely frightened from the look he's receiving from the playboy billionaire. "Well?" He continued on, turning his gaze to the two redheads of the group. "Alfred told me you two found the Journal, so spill it!" He then held up the black-journal, making sure not to damage the book within his grasp. Both redheads turned to each other, giving each other unsure looks but also in understanding. They both nodded, and faced Bruce Wayne once again.

"It was my idea, Bruce." Wally said, raising his hand in the air. "I found his journal three days after we've been told about Dick's condition, because I wanted to find out how long he's been having these emotions for and when it all started. So, right after Alfred left to go shopping, I did a quick scope in his bedroom to find anything that could give me some answers, and that's when I found the journal in-between his mattresses. The moment I found it, I went back to the Watchtower and showed it to Roy instead of reading it immediately. At that time, Roy was with Dick when you were off patrolling Gotham that night." Bruce didn't seem to like Wally's explanation when he told the playboy how long he had kept the journal for.

"And you kept this for four days from us, why?"

"Because after we finished reading it, we knew that the others had the rights to know how long our brother feeling and holding his emotions for." Roy answered that time, getting out of his spot and glaring at Bruce with his blue-eyes. "We were planning on letting the League know about it, but it seems that you're not going to let them."

"Damn straight," the older-adult answer. Everyone lowered their gaze to the floor, with Roy growling and tightening his hands into fists. "Not without me, that is." That time, everyone raised their heads and stared at the billionaire again from the added words he just said. "Alfred and I have a right to know as well, so I shall be holding a meeting and shall summon the League to hear what Dick had been keeping. For now, I must leave to get into my suit." He then turned his back to them and made his way towards the opened doors. "You may either participate, stay within this room, or watch over Dick." He then stopped. "Also..." He then turned his gaze to the two redheads. "If either one of you break into my house again and take what belongs to us, I will personally hunt you down and feed you to Killer Croc at the Asylum." Both Roy and Wally shivered from the thought of having to be chased by the Dark Knight, and not having their mentors to save them. "And one more thing... Thank you..." Their fears immediately disappeared when he heard the words they never thought to get from the billionaire playboy, let alone from Batman. Just as he said those words, he walked out of the room and the two doors closed.

* * *

**In Meeting Room...  
**"Is every League Member here?" Batman asked Superman, who was sitting at his right two seats away and at the end of one-side of the table. Flash, who was sitting at the left of Superman, made a quick run around the room and got back in his seat six-seconds later.

"Yep, that's everyone." He informed. "Well, except for Roy. Should we wait for him and the team?"

"No," the Dark Knight answered. "They've already read the journal, and will come in only if they want to re-read what they already read." Alfred, who sat at Bruce's right, kept a hand on the black journal that sat in front of him and looking rather uncertain about his charge's decision. Diana, at Bruce's left, placed a hand over his left-hand with her right.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Bruce?" She asked, staring at the small book being covered by Alfred's gloved hands. "We're going to be hearing and finding out secrets Dick has been hiding for so long, and they could actually be personal stuff that he doesn't want nobody to know about." Bruce let loose a sigh, and patted the hand on his left with his right.

"I know, Diana." He replied, also staring at the book the butler was keeping within his grasp. "But I've ignored my son for so long, that I need to know how to fix this." Soon, the room grew quiet, and Batman stood from his seat. "Now that we are all hear, it's time to hear what the team had learned from reading Dick's Journal." Before he could ask Alfred for the book, J'onn, sitting beside Superman, spoke out.

"If I may, Batman, I can simply link Dick's voice and words from his journal into our minds so nobody has to read it. I may also be able to have us see what he has gone through, as we hear along." He offered, holding his left-hand out towards Alfred as if knowing the billionaire will agree. And after thinking about the offer for a minute, Bruce agreed and allowed the butler to give Dick's Journal to the green martian. As he opened the cover to the beginning of the pages, his red-eyes brightened and everyone began to hear Dick's voice within their mind.

* * *

_**And it's almost like... Your heaven's trying everything-**_  
_**Your heaven's trying everything to keep me out**_

* * *

**Monday: March 13, 2005  
**_Well, only one more week until Spring comes on March 20 and then I'll be 8 years old. Jeez, how time sure flies. It seems like only yesterday that I was just 4 years old and was doing the trapeze for the first time, and the next I'm 7, only to become 8 in a week. Even though I'm so excited on being a year older than what I am right now, I'm really going to miss being 7. Actually, I miss being young and wish that I could go back into being a little kid. But there's nothing I can do to time, because is changing us all without us knowing it. Well, whatever time has in store for us, I just hope it doesn't separate me from my family... Or change the love I have for all of them._

_Both my mom and aunt thought that my cousin and I should have our own journals, something to write personal stuff and secrets that we want to only know for ourselves or to practice our writing in the other languages we're either learning or starting to learn and speak in. Of course, we both thought it was girly at first, until my father and uncle told us that they have their own journals and that it wasn't considered a 'diary' like our mothers'. And so, we had no choice but to accept the small books we were given by our parents, which we both had about a week ago. I don't know why I've decided to write into this book right now, but something odd has been building up inside of me, that the journal was practically calling for me... And now, I actually like having a journal to write in. It's almost like writing our own story or book, only we're filling the pages up with our secrets and emotions... I promise that one of these days, I'll thank my parents for the journal and hopefully to give a journal to somebody else who may need one._

* * *

**Tuesday: March 28, 2005  
**_John told me we're going to New York City, in a place called 'Gotham City,' while we were working on our flips. I'm actually nervous from the thought of heading towards North America, especially if we're going to preform in one of the biggest cities in the world. Though, I always did wanted to see Lady Liberty in actual life instead of pictures. Still, I'm just scared and worried about the thought of being lost in the crowd and having nobody to understand me in Romanian when I'm still learning English. John told me not to worry about it, since we'll be performing a bit far from the city and yet close enough for people to come and watch._

_Right now, I'm trying to see if I could do a quintuple flip instead of a quadruple flip, since I've been told nobody was able to perform that and I wanted to be the first to try it. However, mom and dad forbid me to do it unless I have a net to catch me. In an attempt to cheer me up, John patted me on the head._

**_"Nu vă faceți griji, veți obține șansa de_****_._**(Don't worry, you'll get your chance.)_**" **__He said to me, before leaving to go take a break from doing flips with me._

_Even though we're only cousins, he seems to treat me like a little brother and I can never ask for a better brother-figure than my own Cousin John. Sometimes, I would forget he is my cousin and is my actual brother. Other times, I think he feels the same whenever I'm upset or helping some of the circus people take care of the animals. However, I'm just glad, and lucky, that he is my cousin and my very first friend. And maybe when we're a bit older, we can do a couple of flips together that would dazzle the crowd and the circus. Until that time comes, I'll just have to keep practicing on doing the quintuple flip._

* * *

"Alright, so far it only talks about him and his family." Flash said. "You sure he has something serious, or secretive in his journal?"

"The team were upset after reading Master Dick's Journal, Master Flash." Alfred answered, giving him his own Bat-Glare. "And I would advise you to not interrupt Master Manhunter again." Flash was glad that he was sitting and wasn't standing, other wise he would've fell flat-down on the floor.

"Right," he replied. He then turned to Shayera, who was sitting at his left. "I think I may know where Bruce gets the Bat-Glare from," he whispered to her.

"Shall I continue?" J'onn asked, earning nods from everyone in the room. Though sitting at the other side of the table, Bruce could clearly see what date was up next and it made his blood go cold.

* * *

_**All the places I've been and things I've seen...**_  
_**A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams**_

* * *

**Saturday: April 1, 2005  
**_Something feels wrong today, very wrong, and I don't think that it's because today is April Fools Day. I don't know what or why, but I feel something bad is going to happen, and it won't be either a playful prank or a hilarious joke._

_I think this feeling first came after that man, who went to see Mr. Haly, eight hours ago, which was around the time I was taking a break from practicing and Sitka was playing with me by taking my towel away from me. I could tell that man was bad news, because he was talking about money while picking himself off the ground when Mr. Haly whipped him off his feet. I knew right away that he must've been a gang leader, and is trying to get my grandfather-figure to pay him protection money._

**_"If you don't get off of my property right now, I'm calling the police!" _**_He threatened, whipping at the man's feet to make him back up. Though I was hoping he would either call the cops right now, whip that man again and injure him, or get Bruno, our Strong-man, to get rid of him. The man decided to make things easier for all of us and decided to leave, rather face the three choices if he didn't listen._

**_"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you, Old Man." _**_He said, backing away from Mr. Haly's trailer.**"Because once something bad happens, you're going to regret on not having Tony Zucco's protective service." **He then bumped into me, and caused me to fall to the dirt. **"Out of my way, runt!" **I glared back at him, watching him leaving the circus ground until his figure vanished minutes later. Sitka wrapped her trunk around my waist, helping me back on my feet, while Mr. Haly came over and brushed the dirt off of my costume and skin._

**_"Te simți bine, Dick?_**(Are you alright, Dick?)_**" **__He asked, checking to make sure I wasn't hurt by that man. I nodded my head, as I wrapped my arms around Sitka's trunk and patted her to let her know she did a good job._

**_"Cine era omul acela, bunicule?_**(Who was that man, grandpa?)_**" **__I asked, sounding concerned and worried on what that man said to him. Mr. Haly simply smiled gently at me, trying to cheer me up and offer comfort instead of revealing how angry he is._

**_"Doar un om, care a cerut pentru necazuri._**(Just a man, who's asking for trouble.)_**" **__He answered, patting me on the head and patting Sitka to praise her also. **"Acum, cred că e timpul pentru tine de a lovi dușuri și odihniți-vă pentru spectacolul din seara asta. Vom avea un invitat special in seara asta, deci trebuie să ne uităm noastre cele mai bune și de a efectua cele mai bune noastre pentru seara asta.**_(Now then, I believe it's time for you to hit the showers and rest up for tonight's show. We're going to have a special guest tonight, so we must look our best and perform our best for tonight.)_**" **__I nodded my head again, knowing very well he was talking about the man who paid us to come and perform for Gotham. Though I may not know this man very much, I wish to please him and my grandfather very much, along with the rest of my circus family and actual family. When Sitka decided to put me on her back, as if to protect me in case that man comes back, I rode her all the way towards my trailer, which was really my home._

_Apparently, my parents and I have our own trailer and my relatives have their own. I wouldn't had minded sharing a trailer with them, but I guess my folks and relative wanted to have separate trailers be for privacy or something like that._

_Anyway, right after Sitka placed me down and went off towards the Big Top to practice, I quickly took a shower. Once I was all clean and had put on sweat-pants and a t-shirt, I placed my costume into the washer and went towards my bed to get some sleep. I knew mom had already washed their costume, and I'm pretty sure my relatives did the same, so either she or dad would finish my wash and wake me up when it's time to for dinner. But even as I laid in my bed to get some sleep, my mind was still on that man who threatened my grandfather... Tony Zucco, his name alone sent shiver down my spine, and I can't help but think something bad is going to happen... And I have this feeling it's going to happen to me, and my family. I just hope that my feeling is wrong._

* * *

"Tony Zucco? I heard that his uncle, Arnold Stromwell, was a leader of a gang and that he disowned his own nephew after Batman paid him a visit." Captain Marvel said, feeling a bit nervous on what the next page is going to say. And as if to answer his question, the next page had tear-stains and ink-marking over the words.

* * *

**Sunday: April 2, 2005  
**_They're gone... Dear God in Heaven... They're dead... I can't believe it, but I did. I should've known something bad was going to happen last night, but I was too little too late when the rope snapped around my cue to jump in with the family... I should've told them! I should've told Mr. Haly that I saw him coming out of the tent before the show began! But I didn't... And because of that, my mother and father are... Gone..._

_After I had scaled down the ladder, I was by my family's body in an instant. It then all became a big blur to me, and yet I remember it as clear as day, or rather as clear as night: Me crying out to my parents, everyone screaming and panicking from watching my family fall and the sight of my their bodies, Mr. Haly and Pete the Knife Thrower trying to pull me away from them, me clinging onto my cousin and Aunt Karla for dear life, me covered in my own family's blood and staring into their closed empty-eyes, police sirens coming from outside of the Big Top, a person pulling me away from my family and holding me in place until darkness took over my sight..._

_I don't remember what happened much after that, for I soon found myself in Mr. Haly's arms and being surrounded by the my circus family, including the circus animals. I didn't have to ask them if it were all just a dream and that my family are still alive, because I was still covered in their now dry-blood and the blood had gotten on Mr. Haly and Pete's clothing as well when they tried to pull me away from my folks. I felt tears forming in my eyes, my heart was banging against my chest, my lungs growing heavy from pressure, and my stomach doing flips on its own.  
_

**_"Bunic..._**(Grandpa...)_**" **__I whispered. **"****Au plecat... Sunt morți... El le-a ucis!... Le-a luat de lângă mine!... De la noi!...**_(They're gone... They're dead... He killed them!... Took them away from me!... From us!...)_**" **__I knew that he knew who I was mentioning... It was that man who came and demanded protection money from him. That man who warned him for not wanting his service. We were too late to finally realized he meant he was going to make us pay the consequences for not listening or giving him money._

**_"Îmi pare atât de rău, Dickie._**(I'm so sorry, Dickie.)_**" **__Mr. Haly said to me, pulling me back into his chest and letting me cry on his shoulder. I could hear and feel him sobbing with me, along with my circus family weeping and crying with us. I could even hear the animals crying and whimpering with us, either sensing and seeing our sadness or had also seen my family fall to their deaths. Even with my grandfather-figure holding me and the circus people offering me their company, I feel completely numb and alone._

_I cried for hours, even when my circus family had no more tears to shed, I still had many tears to shed._

**_"_****Unde sunt ei?**(Where are they?)_**" **__I asked Mr. Haly, finally able to calm down but tears still streaming down my face. I could tell it was still late, or better yet early, and I can still hear police scouting the whole circus and with blurry eyes can see police cars flashing their red and blue lights. My grandpa seemed uneasy to answer the question, then he looked up and stared at something or someone for answers. I didn't know who else was here, besides my circus family and the animals, but he nodded his head at whoever he was staring at and stared back down at me._

**_"La Spitalul General Gotham_**(At the Gotham General Hospital)_**,**__**" **__he replied. **"****Medicii se pregătesc părinții tăi, mătușa Karla, și Ioan, vărul să fie îngropat**._(The doctors are preparing your parents, Aunt Karla, and Cousin John to be buried.)_**" **__I knew he was going to tell me they were taken away, but I had to ask so that I didn't mistaken my theory or had missed them being buried already. I then come to realize two things that I didn't get, while my head was slowly recovering from the headache created by me crying: One, did we really have enough to hold a funeral? And two, why didn't Mr. Haly include my Uncle Richard to be buried?_

**_"_****Ce-i cu unchiul Rick?**(What about Uncle Rick?)_**" **__I asked, feeling a speck of hope starting to build within my heart. I just hope I wasn't mistaking this thought, or feeling that's going through my entire being. **"****Este în viață?**_(Is he alive?)_**" **__And for an answer, Mr Haly nodded his head. I then put on the best smile I could put on my face from the news, but it quickly died when my grandpa and the circus people weren't smiling at all. **"****Ce e în neregulă este unchiul Rick? Bine?**_(What's wrong? Is Uncle Rick alright?)_**" **__Instead of a good news answer, it was a bad news answer I received._

**_"Dick... Nu e ceva ce trebuie să-ți spun, și am nevoie de tine să-i spuneți locotenent Gordon ceea ce ai văzut._**(Dick... There's something we need to tell you, and we need you to tell Lieutenant Gordon what you saw.)_**" **__I turned my head, and stared at the dark orange-brown hair and mustache detective coming into the center of my family circle. I could tell the animals didn't like, nor trusted him. The lions, Jamba and Mila, were making rumbling sounds in their chests and it wasn't their usual purring rumble. Peaches, the gorilla, was snarling. Dolly and Polly, our __Ussuri brown bears_, growled at the man. Sitka, standing behind Mr. Haly, wrapped her trunk around us and pulled us towards her. Mr. Haly, however, gently swatted her trunk off of us and the rest of the circus people were trying their best to silence the animals and keeping them away from Lieutenant Gordon. He looked very sad, and I could tell from the look in his eyes, he pity me. He then gestured towards the exit of the Big Top.

**_"This way, please." _**_He said, leading us away from the rest of our family and towards the direction of cops talking and flashes of photographers. As we made our way outside, I could tell in the pit of my stomach that there's going to be more bad news... And this time, it's going to be worse._

* * *

J'onn stopped the telepathic words of Dick, feeling everyone in the room shocked, upset, startled, and also in pain. He turned his gaze towards Bruce and Alfred, seeing the butler gently wiping the tears from his eyes with his handkerchief and Bruce bowing his head.

"Please, continue." He told the green martian, not bothering to lift his head and to stare at the Martian Manhunter.

"Very well..."

* * *

_**The faces of people I'll never see again!**_  
_**And I can't seem to find my way home...**_

* * *

**Monday: April 3, 2005  
**_It was pouring outside... Raining heavily, crying... It seems that the sky, Heaven itself, is crying with us today, as we all gathered in front of the tombstones in the Gotham City Cemetery. The circus people and I, along with other people of Gotham, were all wearing black and held sad expressions on their faces. I could hear them weeping behind me, as I stood in front of the four tombstones of my deceased family: My mother, Mary Grayson. My father, John Grayson. My aunt, Karla Grayson... And my cousin, John Richard Grayson. I was the only one standing in front of their death beds, as the rest stood a couple of feet away and slowly began to leave the cemetery. I was too busy staring at my parents' grave and drowning in my own grief, that I didn't realize I was the only person left until the sound of footsteps caught my hearing and stopped beside me._

**_"_****Bună ziua, Dick.**(Hello, Dick.)_**" **__The voice greeted, though the voice also sounded sad. **"****Eu sunt Bruce Wayne... Îmi pare rău pentru pierderea ta**._(I'm Bruce Wayne... I'm sorry for your loss.)_**" **__I turned my gaze towards the owner of the voice, staring at his Navy-Blue eyes gazing at the four tombstones that held pain and understanding within his own eyes. I could tell he truly means what he said and not like the other citizens of Gotham, who all only came to pity me. I then turned back to stare at the stones in front of me._

**_"_****Mulțumesc, domnule Wayne, pentru tot**.(Thank you, Mr. Wayne, for everything.)_**" **__I said, my voice low and near to a whisper. _**_"_****Am auzit că ai plătit pentru toate astea**.(I heard you paid for all this.)_**" **__The rain continued to fall and the clouds seemed to have grown even more darker than before, as if making the day to turn to night. The only sound there is was the rain splashing and sprinkling down the Earth, and the rumbling sound of thunder._

**_"_****Deci... Cum te descurci?**(So... How are you holding up?)_**" **__He asked, breaking the silence. I hate it when people ask me that sort of question, because it was completely obvious that I'm not going to be okay and I will forever until to this day will remember the tragic of my family's fall. Nevertheless, I answered him._

**_"_****Voi fi bine... Cel puțin, asta e ceea ce toată lumea a fost mi-a spus**.(I'll be okay... At least, that's what everybody's been telling me.)_**" **__I closed my eyes, feeling the tears forming once again and re-opening them to stare at my parents' grave. I bit down on my lip, causing small droplets of blood to glide down my chin and to disappear into the Earth. There were red-roses on top of each of my deceased family's death bed. The tears in my eyes streamed down, and the feeling of a lump being lodged in my throat made my voice cracked. **"Mi-e dor**_(I miss them)_**," **__I said. **"Nu este vorba doar corect!...**_(It's just not fair!...)_**"**__ I dug my nails into my palms, not caring that I'm causing them to bleed just as I did to my bottom-lip. I didn't care on how broken my voice sounded to the man beside me, because I'm already broken. I can't be fixed, and may never be fixed again. The only thing that's actually keeping me together instead of falling apart, is the thought of my uncle still alive. However, because of the fall, he couldn't come to the funeral. In fact, he won't be going back to the circus... And neither am I, because I'm being taken away from my circus family and being placed to an Orphanage. Now my life has gone from bad to worse, and I have this feeling it's going to get worse once Haly and the circus had to leave. I need to wrap up my time in the cemetery, because today is the day I have to pack whatever I could take with me and then say goodbye to my circus family. **"****Oricum, multumesc din nou**._(Anyway, thanks again.)_**" **__I told Mr. Wayne, and without looking back to either the tombstones or Bruce Wayne and feeling completely numb to feel the rain pouring down on me, I slowly made my way out of the cemetery through the rain and went back to the circus grounds._

* * *

**Thursday: April 6, 2005  
**_Three days... It's been three days since I said goodbye to my circus family... Three days since Lieutenant Gordon took me away from them... Three days since I've been placed in the Juvenile Detention Center, rather than the Orphanage. It turns out they didn't have anymore room for more orphans and with nobody to take me in, the detective had no choice but to take me to their last resort. Even though it was the only place for me to be, I still don't know why I've been placed in a terrible building like the JDC, since I've been told that the Juvenile Detention Center is for kids or teens under the age of 18 who had committed crimes, or are no longer sane anymore to help or control. In other words, I'm in a prison... More like Hell itself... No, I was already in Hell the moment I had watched my family fall and to leave my circus family._

_It was hard for me, the circus people, and even the animals: Losing all of their six Acrobats in one day, with one of them in a comatose, and their youngest to be taken away when they all had offered to adopt me. I really wanted to stay with Mr. Haly and the others, but I knew Lieutenant Gordon was only doing his job. Not only that, their could've been a chance that Tony Zucco would find out I became a material witness to what he's done and he would most likely go after the circus to finish what he started: Kill me and the rest of the circus._

_Not only that, I wouldn't had wanted to leave my uncle behind and have him grieve over the lost of our family and his legs by himself the moment he awakes from his coma. Technically, I guess I would've chose to stay behind, even if I were given a chance to either stay in Gotham or go with my circus family. I could never leave a family member behind, and I wasn't going to start._

_So, after I had gathered whatever I could get and put into my suitcase, I gave one last look of my trailer. My family's trailer... My home. And then, after absorbing the sight of the inside of my home, I slowly made my way out and was met with the whole circus all gathered around with sad expressions on their faces. Lieutenant Gordon, wearing the same trench-coat last night but seems to be clean, stood away from the group and next to his police car. Mr. Haly, my grandfather-figure, made his way towards me and placed his hands on both of my shoulders._

**_"Dick... I..." _**_He seems to be having trouble on what to say to me, and I couldn't blame him. Because we knew that this will probably be the last time we'll see, or hear, each other ever again until his next arrival to Gotham, which won't be for a long time. I placed a hand on his left-hand, that was on my right-shoulder. I then guided that hand off my shoulder and placed the palm towards my cheek, trying my best to smile at him._

**_"Îmi vei lipsi de asemenea, bunicul._**(I'll miss you too, Grandpa.)_**" **__I told him, as I tried my best to fight off the tears that threaten to form and be strong for him. He smiled down at me, as tears formed into his eyes._

**_"Și amintiți-vă mereu, Dickie, ca vei fi mereu o parte din această familie._**(And always remember, Dickie, that you'll always be part of this family.)_**" **__He then guided his right-hand towards my back, and pulled me into an embrace. I also returned the embrace, closing my eyes and trying to absorb the comfort his arms had always give to me whenever I was upset or feel lonesome, which usually happens when one of my parents or relatives are sick or injured._

**_"Mulțumesc, bunicule._**(Thank you, Grandpa.)_**" **__I said to him, feeling his arms tightening their hold on me as if afraid somebody was going to snatch me away if I stayed any longer within their hold, which is what happening once I finished my goodbyes to the circus._

_After our hug had to come to a quick close, I slowly walked out of his arms and made my way to Bruno. Though he was very strong and had big muscles that were twice as large than my father and uncle, his arms also made me feel safe and secured, with promise-like strength to protect me from harm._

**_"Take care of yourself, Dick Grayson." _**_He said to me, patting me gently on the back with his left and his right brushing and rubbing the back of my raven-black hair. I then went to Connie and Pete, the twins of the circus, who both wrapped an arm around me and we had our own personal group-hug._

**_"We're going to miss you, Dickie." _**_Connie said to me, placing a kiss on my forehead, while Pete threaded his fingers through my hair._

**_"Though you'll be staying in Gotham City, always remember where your true-home is." _**_He said, and then they both placed me back down to the ground. I turned my head to the sound of footsteps coming from the right-side of me.  
_

_Kain, the Animal Tamer, didn't bring his whip and yet both Jamba and Mila were at both of his sides. I could tell from staring into their yellowish-green cat eyes that they're also sad about me leaving. Kain then got down on one knee, reached for something from his pocket and placed the item into my left-hand when he pulled it towards him._

**_"Something for you to remember us by," _**_he said. I slowly opened my hand, and stared down at a silver-chain necklace, that had a pendant of a wolf and a pendant of a robin. I stared up at the Animal Tamer, who simply smiled sadly at me and shrugged his shoulders. **"I did tell you that I would find a wolf to train in the circus, and I'm still going to hold that promise to you." **He then pulled me towards him, as Jamba and Mila both nuzzled my head with their noses and purred as loud as they could. Mila even licked me on the cheek, and Jamba pulled me towards him when Kain finally let me go.**"Dickie, promise me that you won't lose the necklace or either of the pendants." **Once I was released from Jamba's powerful-paw, I wrapped the small-chain around my neck and locked its end at the back of my neck to make it hold._

**_"_****Promit**(Promise)**," **_I said. I then heard a soft growl coming from behind me and recognizing the feeling of long-black hair, it was Peaches giving me a hug. She also looked sad, her silver-grey eyes gazing down into my bloodshot-Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes. I could tell what she's trying to say, which also spoke for the lions and the rest of the animals of the circus._

**_'Don't go...' _**_I only shook my head slowly, returning the embrace to the gorilla until she slowly placed me back down to the ground. Then Dolly and Polly, our two bears, nuzzled me like the lions did, only Dolly rubbed her nose against my right-hand and Polly rubbed her nose into my hair. After they had each given me a lick on the cheek and hand, they pulled away._

**_"Îmi pare rău_**," _I whispered to them. I then felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and found myself in the arms of Travis, the Fire-breather._

**_"We're definitely going to miss that warmth you always give to us," _**_he told me. Then he handed me off to David, the clown._

**_"Though there will be somebody high on a high-wire and we may need new people on the trapeze, there will be nobody on Earth to replace our Flying Graysons." _**_I smiled up at him, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I needed words to comfort me and he had given it to me. I'm glad to hear that they would never truly replace me or my family for another trapeze artists, even if they would have to find new acrobats in the future._

_I then felt another tap on my shoulder, only it wasn't a hand. I then felt something wrap itself around my waist, gently pulling me away from David, and towards the one member who I was going to miss terribly the most: Sitka. I held my arms out towards her, wrapping them gently around her face, as she held me near her face and rubbing her massive head against my hands and face._

**_"_****Știu, Sitka... Eu voi fi dor de tine, prea...**(I know, Sitka... I'm gonna miss you, too...)**__****" **_I said to her, knowing very well from her tight grip that she didn't want me to leave. As she placed me back on solid ground, I heard footsteps coming our way and knew that it was Lieutenant Gordon, even as I still hugged Sitka and had my eyes close to remember the feeling of her hug, along with everybody else. Then I felt a new hand on my left-shoulder, making me turn my head to see the detective._

**_"It's time," _**_he told me. Sitka slightly tightened her trunk around my waist even more, as if trying to dare the stranger to take me away. Reluctantly, she slowly released me and watched me grab for my suitcase that was still placed beside Mr. Haly. Before I even went inside the car, I turned to stare at my circus family one last time to see them all together. Then, I lifted my head and let loose a low howl, as if reminding Kain to get that wolf he promised to get. Once the howl was done and waving good-bye, I slowly went inside the passenger-seat of the car and closed the door behind me._

_As I buckled my seat-belt, my eyes caught a reflection in the review mirror outside of my door. I was surprised that the whole circus, plus the animals, could actually fit within the small mirror. But what surprises me the most, is how tried to keep the smiles on their faces, while some were already crying or having tears streaming down their faces. I rolled down my window and stuck my head out, only to watch sadly at how their images began to shrink from Lieutenant Gordon driving away from the circus ground. Before I knew it, I could no longer see them or the Big Top. I then had to put my head back inside the car and roll up the window, knowing very well that it was most likely the last time I may ever see them again._

_And so, here I am. I'm staying in a Detention Center that is also known as 'Mini-Arkham' or 'Junior Asylum', and have been living through the first three days of this Hell... It's terrible here, and everything I've heard about this place was true: The JDC is more like a prison for kids and teens, we barely get fed because the adults seems to enjoy on watching us starve, the people working here are very cruel and abusive to us, the older kids are the bullies and don't get into trouble on picking the younger kids, and we don't get any medical attention. I'm just glad the guards make us sleep in our own rooms, other wise I would've been turned and be used as a twenty-four/seven punching bag for the older kids and teens._

_Before he left me here, Commissioner Gordon told me that I'll only be living here until I'm either adopted or fostered, or until I become 18 years old. It turns out because of my uncle being paralyzed and even if he were to wake up, he wouldn't be able to take care of me and may never be able to for the rest of his life. I doubt anybody would want me, since I had lived in the circus for my entire life and I would only speak in Romanian unless I trust someone enough to speak in English... And because of that, I'm consider as an 'outcast,' or more of an 'outsider'. So, it would seem that I'll be stuck in the JDC for a good 10 years. But if I'm lucky, I could either escape this place or perhaps... Well, die long before I would become an adult or a teenager. I just hope that if I die, my uncle will wake up from his coma and try to live on for all of us. If he gets lucky, he should try to get back to Haly and live with the circus again... And as long as my family are happy and together, then I won't regret dying in this Hell._

* * *

When J'onn had stopped his telekinesis, it was pretty clear to everyone in the room that they now understood how the team and Red Arrow felt while they were reading it. The green martian wondered if his niece had used her telekinesis powers, like he was doing, to hear it through Dick's voice and not each other. J'onn also noticed that some of the pages had blood-stains on it, which meant that the boy hadn't been spared while staying at the Juvenile Detention Center. Though the emotions from others were making him feel a bit uncomfortable, he continued the reading.

* * *

_**Cause it's almost like... Your heaven's trying everything to break me down!**_  
_**Cause it's almost like... Your heaven's trying everything to keep me out!**_

* * *

**Thursday: April 13, 2005  
**_I went to see my uncle today at the GCGH, the Gotham City General Hospital. Lieutenant Gordon was able to get the JDC to let me go and see my uncle, since the guards don't appear to like me very much. So far, the doctor said his condition hasn't changed but believe that he would get better soon. Unlike the guards at the JDC, the doctors of the hospital are very nice. In fact, they were even kind enough to get me some food and treat my injuries. Though their food don't appear to be that very good like my mom or aunt's cooking, it was way better than the JDC's food. I guess they noticed on how much weight I had loss and the wounds I had on my body, since my food would end up being snatched off my tray or end up on the floor from bullies taking them or making me starve for the fun of it, along with the continuous beating I would receive at Mini-Arkham._

_I'm very glad to have seen my uncle, but I was very upset that he wasn't awake to see me and that his condition hadn't gotten better at all... I hope he gets well soon, I miss him very much... Just as much as I miss my circus family, and our deceased family. I also miss the sunshine, because it seems that in Gotham City, it would only be mostly cloudy or rainy everyday and it would be very rare to have a sunny day for at least a day or two, even if it were to be Spring or Summer. I should be glad that I could at least see the stars and moon, even though they would hide for a couple of nights and would comeback for one night._

_Right after visiting hours were over, which was at nine and I had been there at one, Lieutenant Gordon took me back to the Junior Asylum and the guards yanked me back to my room, which was more of a cell with a high-voltage door and barred windows. I didn't bother on unpacking my things, in case somebody were to try and take something valuable from me, and had kept my suitcase under my bed that would be too small for a teen or an adult to crawl in but enough for me to crawl under. The only stuff I'm allowing out of my suitcase is my Journal, but only at night in case someone gets into my room and humiliates me on having a 'diary' to the entire JDC. I also had to keep my necklace in my suitcase, so that nobody would steal it and make me break my promise to Kain. As for clothes, we all get our own clothes that the JDC makes us wear: Dark-blue sweats, black-shoes like Arkham prisoners has, and white T-shirts. Since I'm the smallest kid in Mini-Arkham, my sweats go past my feet and the end of my t-shirt ends halfway down my thighs. I'm just glad that they got the right-size shoes, and that I could use the ends of my pants to cover my feet when I'm not wearing any socks or shoes._

_I'm mostly surprised that I'm not ending up wild or dangerous like the rest of the kids and teens, since it appears to only take just three days to become a wild-animal. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who haven't given up my sanity, but could be unlucky of being one of the still 'normals' in the building. Because of my calm-nature and the behavior that everyone is behaving, it'll most likely be hard for me to make any friends in the JDC at all. I clearly doubt that anybody would want a friend like me to have, especially since I look to be between a 5 to a 7 year-old and skinny as a tree-branch... Even if it seems impossible, I still wish to have a friend to keep me company when I'm not going to visit my uncle at the GCGH and to know how it feels of being weak and helpless to fight back... Mom would always tell me, **"Pentru cei care sunt răbdători, va castiga ceva special în puțin timp.**_(To those who are patient, shall gain something special in little time.)_**"**, and her words alone is what makes me feel that my wish is going to come true._

* * *

**Saturday: April 15, 2005  
**_A full week has past since I first came to the Juvenile Detention Center and now I'm too weak to get myself out of bed. It has rained for nearly three days straight, and then the rumbling of thunder and the struck of lightning would come in at night. __The guards, however, didn't seem to care that it was pouring outside, for they would still make us all go outside to get us soaked and perhaps get us sick. Well, if that was their plan, then it had worked._

_It turns out the rain has given me a cold, which I caught yesterday, that will soon be two days since I caught it. I'm having trouble sleeping right now, because the thunder and lightning are keeping me awake with their noises and flashes. I should be glad that my sickness is keeping me from starving, though I think Aunt Karla told me it would soon be a bad sign if I don't get any food or medicine into me, especially water. I would've gotten water from the bathroom sink of mine, but it doesn't look clear as good water would look and the guards will come into my room to ask me why I'm still up when I should be sleeping. I would most likely be hit again, and they'll probably not care that I'm sick and too weak to withstand their beating. Besides, I'm already too weak to even stand up straight or to even hold my own without the support of the wall or furniture. Well, I just hope they'll forget about me and let me stay in bed or at least have a change of heart and let me stay in... If I'm very lucky, that is._

* * *

**Sunday: April 16,** **2005**  
_I feel like dying, and my body is burning like a wild fire. Luck hasn't been on my side, for the guards had yanked me out of bed and threw me outside when I kept collapsing to my knees. And to make matters worse, I was sent back to my cell with no food for the whole day because I was 'fighting' with the older teens that would beat me. However, it wasn't because they were picking on me to begin with._

_In fact, it all started when they were picking on a thirteen year-old. He was taller than me, but was shorter than the other teens and proves to be a weakling for not standing up for himself or fighting back. Instead, he just sat up against the JDC wall and curled himself into a ball, covering his face with his arms. He also had bruises on his arms, neck, face, and I could tell that one of his ankles is probably sprained from it laying on the ground instead of holding his weight. In my sick-state, I was also on the ground and just letting the rain splash against me while the teasing and beating went on._

**_"So, Ethy, where's that whore of a mother of yours?" _**_One of the teens asked, kicking the thirteen year-old off the wall and into a mud-puddle beside him. The younger boy slowly pulled himself out of the mud-hole, with some of the mud splattered over his face and shirt, as the rain tried its best to wash away the wet-dirt off of him._

**_"What's wrong, Ethan? Too scared to admit that your mother left you and actually let the police take you away, or are you just quiet because you know we're right?" _**_I suddenly felt this new warmth building up in my chest, but it was a new kind of fire... And I knew what it was and the first time throughout my life on controlling my angers whenever I would hear another child or teen make fun of me or my circus family, I ignored my father's advice and embraced the new warm feeling that was fueling me with enough energy to get me off the wall and to walk towards the teens._

**_"Hey, Mal, looks who coming over." _**_I heard the third say to the leader of their group, __Mallon_, who was pulling the thirteen year-old to his feet and pushing him back to the mud to get his sweats more wet and dirty like his shirt. Mallon, a brown-hair seventeen year-old, turned his attention away from the dark-brown thirteen year-old and stared at me with power-hungry grey-eyes. He smirked at me, who almost seemed impress of me walking up to them instead of them walking up to me.

**_"Hmph... Well, if it ain't the Circus Freak." _**_He greeted, chuckling at his nickname he and his friends gave to me. I simply glared at him. **"So, what do you want, Gypsy?" **At first, I was beginning to feel the sudden courage that I received going away. However, his words on insulting the younger teen's mother, had my rage burning even more._

**_"Leave him alone," _**_I told him. I was so mad when I spoke and when they heard what I just said, it completely startled the teens when they heard me talk in English instead of Romanian. The thirteen year-old on the ground stared completely shock at me, but I was too busy glaring at the three older-teens in front of me to see the look of gratitude within his greenish-blue eyes. __Mallon_ was the first to recover from his shock, and then smirked at me.

**_"Well, it seems you do have guts after all, Cursed Gypsy. Not only that, you can actually speak in English." _**_He said, as his two friends got to both side of me and he slowly made his way towards me. **"It's a shame that we'll have to stomp all over you again." **As the rain continued to fall, so does his steps, as he cracked his knuckles to prepare them to pound into flesh and bones. Even as the other two teens went to grab me, I didn't move from my spot and didn't bother on flinching away from their hands when they made a grab for my arms. I then felt one of them let go of me, who was known as __Devlin_.

**_"Hang on, Mal." _**_He told Mallon, as he placed both his hands on my right-arm again. __Devlin_ then looked back at his leader. **"He's on fire, man. He's sick to the bone!" **I could tell from the tone of Devlin's voice that he was going to treat me like a disease at that moment, and then I'll be picked on again. Mallon narrowed his eyes at me when given the news of his friend's discovery, and then grabbed a fist full of my shirt in his grasp to pull me off my feet.

**_"Figures, something told me it would've been a matter of time before the Circus Boy gets sick from the rain." _**_He then threw me towards the mud-hole, almost next to the thirteen year-old, and had gotten the right-side of me muddy and scraped. **"Come on, guys, lets leave them. Neither are worth our time, anyway." **I would've been glad that he left us off that easily, but my rage that has been growing inside of me was very displeased. With no control of myself, I struggled back to my feet, now that the rain is starting to cool my warm-body but making it more weak than before._

**_"That's it? Is that all, Mallon?!" _**_I called out, gaining a lot of teens and other kids' attention. __Devlin_ and Frank, the third teen of the group, stopped walking and turned their gazes towards me.

**_"You asking for more, Runt?" _**_Devlin asked, slamming a right-fist into his left. I could feel fear coming from the thirteen year-old behind me, but I ignored those feelings._

**_"As a matter of fact, yes!" _**_I hollered out, glaring at them. **"If Mallon is really that high and mighty, then he should've beaten me like he would always do! But no, he's just proved that he's a coward!" **That had gotten Mallon's attention, for he stopped his walking and slowly turned his head to the left to stare at me._

**_"What did you just say about Mal, Grayson?" _**_Frank asked, starting to panic when he felt Mallon's rage forming within the seventeen year-old._

**_"You heard me, I just called him a 'coward' because he is!" _**_I continued on, slowly taking a step towards them. **"But I'll say this: He's not that much of a coward, than he always been when he picks on those younger than him! In fact, he's more like dirt when he beats those who can't defend themselves or are having trouble controlling their emotions, like myself!" **Some of the kids older than me stared completely startled at my words, while other teens slowly backed away as if sensing a fight is going to happen. **"I also bet Ethan isn't the only one who isn't living with his parents, because Mallon could also be here in the same condition!" **Even from afar distance, I could clearly see Mallon losing his patience and was very close to pummel me. I then smiled at his reaction, watching him cracking his knuckles and slowly coming his way. **"Must be hitting a nerve, am I right? What else, you're going to be up a kid who's very ill and that's just plain low than what you just did to Ethan." **Once we were both in front of each other, Mallon grabbed for my T-shirt and pulled me off of my feet once again. And during that time, I still didn't care if I was getting sicker from the rain or that I was going to be beat up again. **"So, what are you waiting for?" **His eyes were on fire, and I could feel his rage burning off of his body like mine and my sickness was. Mallon did raised his right-fist to deliver the punch to me, but he didn't get enough time to give it to me. At that moment, five guards pulled Mallon away from me and then separated us. It was obvious that the guards were watching the whole thing, and must've decided to come in before things get probably too messy. But whatever reason they decided to come in and to stop the fight, I may never know. After they kept Mallon and his friends away in case they would try and get at me, two of the guards grabbed me by both of my arms and pulled me back into the building._

_And so, here I am. After the guards threw me back into my 'room' and started up the electricity for the door while I had crawled my way into my bed, I had been laying within the warm comfort of the mattress for the last five hours for the remainder of the day. And because of my rage that had taking control of my entire being and the rain, I grew even more worse than before and was regretting on talking like that to Mallon. Although, I didn't regret standing up for Ethan and I just hope he's alright. Well, there's only way to tell once morning comes and then it'll be breakfast. I'm still too ill and my stomach still feels full instead of empty, but I'm going to have to stomach it up and force some food into me if I want to get any of my energy back in me._

* * *

"Damn... Even when he didn't live with you back then, he still has to fight or stand up for himself against those who are threatening the innocents." Green Arrow told Bruce from across the other side of the table, as he held Dinah's left-hand from his right.

"I'm surprise he was able to hold himself through all that, especially in his weakened condition." Flash commented, and soon they allowed J'onn to continue.

* * *

**Wednesday: April 19, 2005  
**_I've made a friend! After being in the JDC for a week and a half, I finally have somebody who actually likes me and knows exactly how I feel. But that's not even the best part, because the day after I had been forced into my cell, Mallon and his gang actually left me alone. It wasn't just them, but those who had also picked on me also stayed away from me and I actually get to eat my food, though I can only eat a little because of my sickness. Right when I thought it couldn't get any better, I was proven wrong. Ethan Anderson, the teen who I stood up for that rainy day, wanted to sit with me. And at that moment, we both formed a bond, a friendship that actually grew from friends to brother-figures in just three days._

_Even though Ethan can't last long in a fight, he actually grew very protective of me and had stayed by my side when we're to be placed outside. I didn't mind him being by my side the whole time, and he didn't seem to care who said I'm not worth being protected or to have around. Today, in another pouring rain, he told me how and why he's been placed in the Juvenile Detention Center, when I asked how a kind guy like him had been placed in such a terrible prison like the JDC._

_It turns out he was like me, being forced to leave his family when he had no choice, though his story and past is very different from mine. According to what his mother, Clare Anderson, had told him, his father, Tristan Lane, had left him and Clare the moment Clare told Tristan she was pregnant, saying that he wanted nothing more to do with her or Ethan. And since his mother no longer had any contact with Ethan's father-side of the family and with no living relatives left on her side, she had to take care of Ethan on her own while trying to get a job to provide for the both of them. And during the eleven years of Ethan's life while living in an abandon building, his mother had always placed him first and herself second. Because of that, his mother grew deathly ill and eventually became too weak to even lift a finger off the ground that she laid upon. With no choice but to get help, Ethan went off in search for that help and came back seven minutes later, with two ambulance and a stretcher behind him._

_After two hours on being checked by the doctors, Ethan was soon reunited with his mother, who was sleeping quiet peacefully and looks much better washed than covered in grease and filth. However, just when he thought things were going to get better, the police had to take him away from his mother while she was still in recovery. He was supposed to be placed at the Orphanage and in foster-care until his mother gets back on her feet and could support the both of them, but ended up at the Juvenile Detention Center when the Orphanage couldn't accept anymore children..._

_It was just like how I was rejected when Lieutenant Gordon took me away from my circus family, and it seems to the both of us that history could be repeating itself once more. And so far, Ethan had heard no words of his mother for two years and the guards didn't allow him to call the GCGH or have him visit the hospital during those two years. I then had an idea, and I had a feeling that it would be a perfect one for the both of us once Lieutenant Gordon comes back to pick me up._

* * *

**Thurseday: April 20, 2005  
**_My plan had worked, and I was able to persuade Lieutenant Gordon to take both me and Ethan to the hospital. The good news was I was finally able to get my friend to meet my Uncle Rick, though he's still in a coma. The bad news, which seems a bit more worse than my uncle, is that Ethan's mother is no longer in the hospital for a year and a half and we've been told that she's living in Gotham somewhere else. The news had definitely crushed Ethan inside, and after staying with my uncle for the remainder of our stay during visiting hours while getting some good food into our stomachs, we soon went back to the JDC and went into our cells without a word spoken to each other._

_I have a feeling that there's a reason to why his mother didn't come and take him out of the JDC a year and a half ago, but I don't know that reason could be though. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to talk to Ethan about it and try to make him feel better. After all, he made me feel better by being there for me when I needed somebody who cares, and now it's my time to return the favor._

* * *

**Sunday: April 23, 2005  
**_My second week in the JDC had passed by yesterday, and I'm now entering the beginning of my third week in Hell. However, this place was sort of slowly growing from being Hell into a building made of cement and punishment. I was able to talk to Ethan about his mother's reason on not taking him away from the JDC and was able to tell him the positive side on what may not had happen if he wasn't here today, though there are many good reasons to what would've happen if his mother did took him after being released from the GCGH and most of the positive side was mostly about me._

_Ethan suddenly didn't care about leaving or thinking of escaping the JDC, as long as I'm by his side and will be there for him every step of the way during our days in the JDC. I also feel the same way, though I would hope and pray for my uncle to wake up from his coma soon. I also prayed that if he does wake up, I could try and persuade him to take Ethan with us until we can find his mother. That way, we can still be together and continue on being brothers, and be as far away from the Juvenile Detention Center as possible._

_I've been speaking in Romanian on accident lately, but I'm getting Ethan to learn and speak it in case I would accidentally speak my first language without noticing to him. English is still pretty hard to speak in, but I'm slowly beginning to understand it more and had gotten used to speaking it to those who don't understand Romanian._

_Mallon and his pals, along with some other bullies, would come at us from time to time. Only, instead of their usual shoving against the wall and pummeling us with their fists and kicking, they would just shove us with their shoulders to make their way and that would be it. But when a bully would want to pick on us, Ethan would put me behind him and then tell them to leave. He would at times get a couple of push and a pinch now and then, but once they get a glare from me or they simply stare down at me, they would leave._

_Though there are some good news about that, I'm afraid there are some problems. After being sick for 8 days and having the rain continuing on for 11 days straight, my health condition hasn't been improving than Ethan and I had hoped. And what's worse, we both think I have Pneumonia... I don't know how or why, but I have some of the symptoms that are signs of Pneumonia: Headaches, loss of appetite, clamminess, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, high heart rate, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and aches, high fever, chills, joints in pain, and a couple of more symptoms. Mom and Aunt Karla taught me and John about health, and I'm still glad that I still remember my lessons on health. And at the JDC, we don't get any health check-ups or medicines. The guards just simply let us spread our sickness inside the building or outside the yard, and have other kids or teens to get sick._

_Despite those problems, I'm actually happy to still have somebody with me in this Hell. Because with Ethan by my side as my brother-figure, there seems to be nothing on Earth that could separate us. Well, except for us being in separate rooms and the guards not allowing us to share a room together, I'm just glad to have my brother-figure with me most of the day. And hey, maybe when Ethan is eighteen, he might be able to get me out of here and we can continue on staying together. And once Uncle Rick wakes up, he may allow Ethan to stay with us and make him a Grayson. I can't wait for that day to happen, and I don't care if I have to stay in this prison forever for that day to happen._

* * *

Nobody in the Meeting Room could think up what to say, even when J'onn had paused for those who would want to speak. Batman and Alfred were completely shocked to have heard that their Little Bird had actually made a friend in one of the worst places to be in Gotham, a brother-figure before Wally and Roy no less. But there was just one thing that got into their minds. Why didn't Dick told them about Ethan? And so, the green martian continued the words of the journal.

* * *

**Friday: April 28, 2005  
**_Something doesn't feel right, and it was almost that feeling I had on the same day my family were Ki... Gone. I told Ethan about it while we were outside. Today, the clouds had decided to take a break from crying and only stood still in the sky while the wind blew against us. I'm still kind of surprise that the weather was cold instead of warm, since it is Spring and Summer is coming its way soon. Anyway, I told him about the feeling I've been having today and how it was the exact feeling I had when Tony Zucco left after demanding protection money from Mr. Haly. After explaining about this feeling inside of me, Ethan had also convinced that he was having the same feeling as well and it isn't him catching my sickness when he's still as healthy as a horse. I was scared, thinking that this feeling is warning me that I'm going to lose somebody close to me again, and I could tell from Ethan's face that he's feeling the same thing as well._

_Instead of finding out what may happen to us, we simply stayed together throughout the rest of the day until we were called back in for dinner. After we ate the food, which I only ate very little because of my illness, we said our goodbye's and went into our cells. Once the door had been electrified, I slowly made my way towards the barred window. The clouds were slowly pulling apart, but many stayed together like glue. Through the parted clouds, I could see some of the stars shining down from above._

**_"Te rog, nu mă lăsa să pierd un alt aproape de mine._**(Please, don't let me lose another close to me.)_**" **__I begged to the sky, as I tried to calm my beating heart that was still going fast than its original beating. I placed my right-hand over my chest, which was still aching, as I made my way towards my bed and tried to get some sleep for tomorrow. And so far, I'm having trouble sleeping, as usual. It wasn't the sickness that's keeping me up, but the feeling that won't go away. And when I thought that was weird, I suddenly felt a tear stream its way down my right-cheek. I don't know why I'm crying, or didn't notice that was I starting to, but I didn't care._

* * *

_**Cause it's almost like... Your heaven's trying everything to break me down!**_  
_**Cause it's almost like... Your heaven's trying everything-**_

* * *

**Saturday: April 29, 2005  
**_It's raining again, but there's a reason for the clouds to cry... I'm leaving the Juvenile Detention Center today, but it's not in the way I was hoping it would be. On one part, I wanted to be taken away by my uncle, seeing him awake and happy to see that he has one living relative left and taking Ethan with us. On the second part, I wanted an eighteen year-old Ethan to take me away from this place and continue our lives together as brothers... But no, it was neither of the two options that I wanted. In fact, a third option had been selected for me without getting a chance to choose what I want._

_You remember that man who came to me at the funeral, Bruce Wayne? Well, he's here... And has come to take me away from the Juvenile Detention Center, without asking me if I wanted to come and live with him or not. Even though he's very well known in Gotham, being a playboy billionaire and the owner of both Wayne Enterprises and Wayne Tower, I don't know what he's like and don't really trust him. I was even expecting to see him again, because he just came here to see me and then told me the news on making me his ward once we had our 'privacy' in my 'room'. I was completely shocked and speechless from the news, and he didn't even give me a chance to tell him about taking Ethan._

_It seems that fate has decided to punish me even more, for not telling Mr. Haly about Zucco before the show started and letting my family fall to their deaths when I could've tried to rescue them. And when Mr. Wayne left to tell the guard at the front desk about me leaving, I fell to my knees and let tears stream down my face. I now figured out what that the feeling Ethan and I had felt yesterday, because somehow our entire being could sense when bad things are going to happen. If only I had found out sooner, then I would've planned a way for Ethan and I to escape the JDC and fled into hiding within the city. But now that it's too late to turn back time and prevent this from happening, I have no choice but to do what I must do and gather my stuff to leave with my new 'guardian'. I never wanted a new guardian though, I wanted my uncle to be the one to take me away from this building. But instead of heading towards the direction of the entrance of the building and gathering whatever energy I have within me, I jogged my way towards Ethan's cell and was lucky to have found him in his cell and not outside. It seems that the arrival of Mr. Wayne is delaying our usual release to go outside, which should probably give us enough time to say our... Goodbyes before I have to leave._

**_"Ethan..." _**_I whispered, trying my best to stop crying while tightening my grip onto my suitcase with my left-hand. Ethan seems to have known what's going on, for the moment he saw me, he took four strides towards me and pulled me into a bear-hug. I wasted no time to return the embrace and allowed myself to cry against him, which was on his right-thigh since I'm too short and young to cry against his chest._

**_"It's going to be okay, Dickie." _**_He told me, gently pulling me back a bit so that he could get on his knees and let me lay on his right-shoulder. I only shook my head at his words, as my arms are now wrapped around his neck._

**_"_****Dar eu nu vreau să merg, nu fără tine!**(But I don't want to go, not without you!)**_" _**_I cried in Romanian, which caused me to cough for a moment because of my Pneumonia. **"**_**_Am pierdut deja atât de multe de familia mea, nu vreau să pierd mai!_**(I've already lost so many of my family, I don't want to lose anymore!)_**" **__I didn't care that I was speaking in Romanian, because I knew Ethan is smart enough to know what I was saying thanks to my teaching on how to learn Romanian._

**_"You're not really losing me, Dick." _**_He said, pulling back to look at my face and gently wiped the tears off my face. **"Your just spreading the wings you desperately needed, and are now going to fly away from this Hell-like prison. And what else, you're going to have someone whose going to look after you until your uncle wakes up." **His words were a mixture of reassuring, and yet like a knife digging its way towards my heart to open the painful-wounds even more._

**_"Dar eu vreau să stau cu tine, Ethan!_**(But I want to stay with you, Ethan!)**_" _**_I told him, laying my head back on his shoulder._

**_"No, Dick." _**_He said, sounding a bit firmly and yet gently. **"You can't stay here; you don't belong here. Trust me, you mustn't stay here for another second. I've been here for two years and I'm not going to let you throw your chance of freedom away because of me." **He then pulled me away from him again, only this time, to reach for something out of his pocket. He then grabbed for both of my hands, and placed the item within my hands. **"Something to remember me by, and a promise that we will see each other again someday when I'm no longer in this prison." **I opened my hands and stared down at a perfectly wooden-black carving of a raven, with its wings spread. It was so amazing, that the wooden-creature actually looks like a life-size raven if it wasn't so still and feels more hollow than alive with feathers._

**_"Ethan..." _**_I said, staring back up to the teen who has been my brother-figure for only a week and a half in the JDC. He simply smiled at me and rubbed my hair. I placed the raven in my sweat-pocket and grabbed for my suitcase with my right-hand. We then heard footsteps coming from the hallway, along with some angry voices._

**_"Richard Grayson, get out here right now!" _**_I winced from the harsh voices that were calling out for me and Ethan, who seems to have sensed my fear, pulled me back for a final hug._

**_"Du-te, fratele mai mic._**(Go, little brother.)**_" _**_He told me, speaking in perfect Romanian. **"Zboara departe de acest iad, Micul Robin... Fii liber... Mica Pasare.**_(Fly away from this Hell, Little Robin... Be free... Little Bird.)_**" **__He then bent down, placed a quick kiss on my forehead, and then let me go before the footsteps had stopped in front of his cell._

**_"It's time to go, Charity Case." _**_My heart seemed to have clenched when the guard had called me a 'Charity Case,' though I don't know why, and my chest seems to have doubled in pain. I placed my left-hand on my chest, trying to relieve some of the pain as much as possible while my right still held onto my suitcase, as the guard pulled me out of Ethan's room and towards the direction of the entrance of the JDC. As we made our way towards our destination, I caught many glances from the other kids or teens, which were glances of disgust and hatred. I could practically tell what they were thinking or saying in their heads from their eyes._

**_"See ya, runt."_**

**_"Finally, good riddance."_**

**_"Astalavista, Weirdo."_**

**_"It's been a pleasure knowing you as a punching bag, too bad we won't be missing you."_**

_I tried my best to ignore their words, and kept on moving as much as my feet could carry me before I may collapse from dizziness._

**_"Here he is, Mr. Wayne." _**_The guard told my new 'guardian,' trying to sound as friendly as he can to Mr. Wayne. Once his grip was off of my shoulder and had backed away from me, Mr. Wayne took two strides towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder._

**_"You ready, Dick?" _**_He asked, smiling at me. Though I may be a person who likes to smile and see other people smiling, I was starting to not like his smile. I wanted to say 'no,' yell at him for taking me away from this Hell that still has my brother-figure. However, I just simply nodded and slowly followed him out of the building. Parking right outside in the rain and beside the sidewalk, was a black-limo scene and a well-dressed man with an umbrella shielding him from the rain. He looks to be around his fifties, kind of like Mr. Haly is starting his. The elder seems nice, and I can somehow trust him more than Mr. Wayne. When he saw us make our way towards the car, he lifted the umbrella up to cover Mr. Wayne's head and my own from getting anymore wet._

**_"Is this the Young Master Richard, sir?" _**_He asked Mr. Wayne, sounding and acting like Mr. Wayne owns him._

_**"Yes, Alfred, this is him." **Mr. Wayne told the elder, turning his gaze down at me and simply smiled. **"Dick, this is Alfred Pennyworth, my butler." **I should've known that this man was his elder, but I somehow have this feeling that Alfred is more than a butler to Mr. Wayne. Alfred then held out his right-hand towards me._

**_"A pleasure to finally meet you, Master Richard." _**_He greeted to me, still keeping a hold on the umbrella with his left. As to not be rude, I accepted his hand with my own right, and slowly shook hands with him._

**_"Puteți să-mi spui 'Dick'_**(You can call me 'Dick')_**," **__I told him as politely as I could. I didn't bother on speaking in English, and yet something tells me they both know what I just said. Because of my Pneumonia, my voice makes me sound more tired and his grip on my hand made my muscles ache. The butler seems to noticed something wrong with me, because he was giving me a funny look. He then released my hand and turned to Mr. Wayne, who has also noticed something wrong with me._

**_"Shall we head back to the Manor, Master Bruce?" _**_Alfred asked Mr. Wayne, opening the back of the limo's door._

**_"Of course, Alfred." _**_Mr. Wayne told the butler, slowly getting in the car. I wasn't so sure if I should go in at first, but because of my legs shaking from lack of energy and my head gaining a new headache, I slowly went inside and let Alfred close the door behind me. Mr. Wayne sat on the other side of the door, while I stayed next to the door I just went through and slowly we both went into buckling ourselves. I stared at the building that I'd been forced to live in for nearly three weeks, a place that was like Hell itself... But a place where I made a friend, a brother-figure when my cousin and first brother-figure has gone into a peaceful paradise called 'Heaven'. Though I knew it wasn't proper and impolite, I gently placed my left-hand on the window to cover some of the image of the Juvenile Detention Center._

**_"La revedere, frate._**(Goodbye, brother.)_**" **__I whispered in Romanian, as the limo scene slowly began to move and the image of the JDC grew smaller when the car gained more speed. My hand slowly glided down the window, though I was being careful as to not leave any hand prints or dirt on the clear-glass, and so did my eyes when I could no longer see the building made of cement and punishment. As Alfred drove us further from the JDC, I suddenly felt something warm on my left-shoulder. I slowly turned my gaze, and saw it was Mr. Wayne who placed his right-hand on my shoulder._

**_"Totul va fi bine, Dick._**(Everything's going to be alright, Dick.)_**" **__I was completely startled to hear Mr. Wayne speak in Romanian, since I thought that not many people in Gotham knows how to speak or understand my first language. I really wanted to believe his words that everything will be okay, but that feeling in my stomach was slowly beginning to grow again. And now from this day forward, whenever I have this feeling growing inside of me, I will try and find out what's going to happen and prevent that disaster from coming._

* * *

Instead of all thinking about the words on the book, many turned their gaze at the Dark Knight and gave him glares. Alfred was one of those who were giving Bruce the glare, which was surprising for many of the Justice League.

"You told me he had agreed to come live with us, Master Bruce." He said, giving his charge his own Bat-Glare. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't think he wanted to stay there, Alfred." Batman answered, placing a hand on his head and slowly shaking his head. "I thought he would've agreed to come live with me, whether I ask him to or not."

"And you didn't even bother to ask him, when he was still traumatized and trying to heal from losing his family?" Diana asked, also being the ones to give him a glare. "Did he ever tell you about his friend, Ethan?"

"Only once... He hadn't mentioned on having a friend at the Juvenile Detention Center, until the day before he came to live with me for a whole week." He then turned to J'onn. "Please, continue."

* * *

******Tuesday: May 2,** **2005**_  
I feel weird living with Mr. Wayne and Alfred, since I'm staying in a mansion instead of a house like many people of Gotham are. But I guess when you're a billionaire, you have to live in a big fancy-house with large numbers of empty rooms and many expensive stuff._

_I still feel uncomfortable about staying here, especially since I didn't know where I was going to be living in. We lived far from Gotham, which was half an hour away from the city, on a hill near a forest and a couple of mountains... Also, near the Cemetery, where my deceased family are at. Those were the three parts that made me feel comfortable: Away from the city, living near nature, and close by my family._

_Besides me, Alfred and Mr. Wayne are the only ones living in the Manor. I was sort of hoping they would have at least a pet or two, for I feel more comfortable around animals than humans who I don't know. And speaking of 'who-I-don't-know,' I don't know where Mr. Wayne is right now. I first thought he left for work, until I noticed that his car he would take to work was still here. Not only that, Alfred seems to always take him to work, and yet he's been here the whole time Mr. Wayne went missing, since he's been trying to make me better from Pneumonia. And so far, my health is sort progressing very well. Although I have been vomiting and still have loss of appetite, I'm starting to feel a lot better than I had been at the JDC._

_I miss Ethan, I hope he's doing alright. I doubt he is though, because nobody is fine when they're in JDC, especially when it's a Detention Center in Gotham City... I'm now beginning to understand the ways, and the law, of Gotham City: One false move, and you lose everything that you own or love. You may even end up in a place where you don't feel like you belong or want to live in. I can tell that Mr. Wayne is trying to make me feel comfortable on living with him, even though it's been three days since he took me away from the JDC, but there's just something odd about him. About his home, his life-style... Everything, including Alfred. I don't know what or why, but I have this feeling that they're both acting what others believe they are in the outside and are hiding who they truly are in the inside, which has got to be more deeper than the Manor._

_Anyway, Mr. Wayne has signed me up to Gotham Middle School. He told me once I'm well enough, I'm going to be taking a test to show me which grade I should be in. However, I already knew which grade that I am in, which is first grade. During my time traveling with the circus, John and I had been home-schooled by our parents and circus family. I don't know why he's speeding me into going to school, especially in my weak condition, but I guess that he doesn't want me to be in my new room anymore when I get better._

_For the first three days living with him, I had stayed within the during that time and would only come out it is time to eat. Though my stomach is still rejecting food, I was able to get at least some of it down in me. I didn't want to insult Alfred's cooking, since he went through the trouble on making it for me and Mr. Wayne. I'm just glad that I'm getting the medicine and water I need, in order to fight through my Pneumonia. The main reason I'm still fighting this sickness, is because I feel that my uncle is fighting to wake up from his coma._

_Yesterday, Mr. Wayne and Alfred took me to the GCGH to see my uncle. The doctors were glad to have heard and see me finally out of the Juvenile Detention Center. They all hoped that Mr. Wayne was treating me alright, which I also hope that he doesn't treat me like the guards from the JDC. As we reached my uncle's room, the doctors gave word about his condition, which wasn't good news at all. So far, his condition has actually dropped and has to breath with a mask on his face because one of his lungs had collapsed. I grew scared from the information, and was by his side in an instant. Mr. Wayne and Alfred didn't bother to come on in with me, for they simply just stared at me outside of the room, with the door wide open. And through my time with my uncle, I told him what had happened and about me living with Mr. Wayne until he gets better. I then gave him a gentle hug and a kiss on his forehead, right before I had to go back to my new 'guardian' and butler to leave the hospital, which I didn't like since we had only been there for at least ten minutes. I guess they're not the kind of waiting people, like businessmen wanting a quick answer on a deal instead of an hour or a day answer._

_I guess when you're the owner of one of the greatest company in the world, you have to always be in a hurry. Even so, I wish they would at least let me stay with my uncle until visiting hours were over. I'm still wondering if Mr. Wayne and Alfred actually care about me, or just taking pity on me for losing my parents. I'm already fed up of everyone taking pity on me, and feeling 'sorry' for losing my parents. If they lost their family, if they had to watch their own family dying in front of them and they're only inches away from each other, then they should come to me and tell me "You're not alone, nor are you the only one suffering... You keep on thinking, 'If only I could've warned them, if only I could've prevented it from happening...' But there's nothing you could've done. There was nothing... Neither of us could've done." If they know how I feel, I want them to tell me, rather than taking pity on a Circus Boy who they believe is completely stupid to not understand or speak English._

* * *

Alfred lowered his head in shame.

"If only we had told him sooner, Master Bruce." He said to his charge, as J'onn continued the Journal.

* * *

_**Your heaven's trying everything to break me down!... To break me down!...**_  
_**To break me down...**_

* * *

**Thursday: May 4, 2005  
**_Something strange happened yesterday: Mr. Wa... Bruce, came into my room last night. I was crying, staring at the moon, while its light shining down through the window. I was dressed in my light-blue two piece pajamas, while he was wearing one of his work clothes, like he always do._

_**"Hei, Dick, cum te simți?**_(Hey, Dick, how are you feeling?)_**" **__He asked in his cheerful voice, though I know he's only using that voice to treat me more of a child. I didn't want him to see my tears, or have him see me more acting like a child than he thought of me. So, I quickly wiped my tears out of my eyes with one of my sleeve pajamas._

_**"Amendă**_(Fine)_**,"** I whispered. Bruce then sat beside me, which was odd for he would sit a couple of chairs away from me, like I have some sort of disease, even though that I'm still sick, but I am getting a lot better._

_**"Îmi pare rău că nu am fost în jurul valorii de în ultima vreme. Am uitat cât de singuri acest loc poate fi.**_(I'm sorry I haven't been around lately. I forget how lonely this place can be.)_**" **__He said, reaching to get something into his pocket._

**_"Asta e în regulă_**(That's okay)_**," **__I said. Though I could feel every fiber in my body burning in rage from his apology, I got the calm from my father and the patience from my mother to help hold back my rage._

**_"_****_Am aflat că voi fi cu timp liber începând de mâine_**(I found out that I'll be having free time starting tomorrow)_**," **__he said. I was very confused, on why he would be telling me this when he obviously doesn't want to spend time with me. He then pulled out to tickets out of his pockets. _'GOTHAM NIGHTS; 5 PM-9PM; BOX SEAT #02; MAY 5, 2005,' _was labeled on one of the tickets. **"Cum despre mergem prinde un joc? Box locuri?**_(How about we go catch a game? Box seats?)_**" **__I only shook my head, putting on a sad smile._

**_"Nu, multumesc._**(No, thank you.)_**" **__I replied. It wasn't that I was trying to be rude to him, it's just that I'm not in the mood to do anything. Besides, I'm not really a big fan on watching people playing sports and more or likely get themselves hurt. Even with my eyes closed and my gaze not on Bruce, I could tell he was rather upset that his attempt to make me happy was failing._

**_"_****Știu că trebuie să fie foarte dificil**(I know it must be very difficult)**_,"_ **_he told me. I then felt an arm placed on my right-shoulder. Deep inside, I felt the barrier holding my sadness and tears breaking down from his words and touch. And so, I snapped._

**_"_****Dacă aș fi putut să-l opresc! L-am văzut ieșind din cort! Știam că nu am ce căuta acolo!**(If only I could've stopped him! I saw him coming out of the tent! I knew he didn't belong there!)_**" **__I cried, before I placed my face into my hands. I then felt the hand sliding off of my shoulder._

**_"Stiu_**(I know)_**," **__he replied. I then felt him stood up from his spot next to me, and slowly made his way towards the door. At first, I thought he was going to leave me, until he stopped at the door and turned back to face me. **"Urmați-mă**_(Follow me)_**,"**__ he said. When he left, I stayed in my spot for a few more seconds, wondering if I should follow Bruce or stay within my room. I wanted to stay in my room, but he did came in at his own free will. And so, I slowly got out of my spot next to the window and quietly followed Bruce after closing my bedroom door. He didn't get very far, and I was able to catch up to him when he was about to walk down the stairs. Normally, for me, I would've slid down the railing of the stairs, rather than walking down the stairs like a normal person would. However, since he wanted me to follow him and was determine to do so, I walked down the steps behind him. __**"Tu nu ești singur, și nici nu ești singurul care suferă... Ai tot gândesc, 'Dacă aș putea doar le-am avertizat, numai dacă aș fi putut să o împiedice întâmplă...' Dar nu e nimic ce ar fi putut face. Nu a fost nimic... Nici unul dintre noi ar fi putut face...**_(You're not alone, nor are you the only one suffering... You keep thinking, 'If only I could've warned them, if only I could've prevented it from happening...' But there's nothing you could've done. There was nothing... Neither of us could've done...)_**" **__I practically felt my heart grow cold when he spoke, more to how he said it besides speaking those words. Those were the words that I wanted to hear, somebody who understands what I'm going through and losing those you love. We soon reached the fireplace, and then he stopped in front of the fireplace that held no fire, since it is Spring. I then noticed he was staring up at the big picture over the fireplace, which held a man and a woman standing together and smiling at the picture, with arms wrapped around each other. That was when I noticed on how Bruce almost looks a lot like the man in the picture, as he had the woman's eyes and gentle smile._

**_"_****Mama ta și tatăl?**(Your mom and dad?)_**" **__I asked, earning a firm nod and a sad smile from Bruce. I now found out why this man took me in his care, and it wasn't because of pity. He took me in because he also lost his parents, and by the way he said those words, it sounded like he had to watch them die when he was kid also. My heart banged against my chest again, only it was banging in pain for Bruce. I then lowered my head in shame. **"****Are durerea merge vreodată la distanță?**_(Does the hurt ever go away?)_**" **__I didn't know why I asked him that sort of question, since I already knew the answer to that. The pain, the hurt, it'll never go away and had implanted itself into my heart until the very day I would draw my last living breath. I then felt the hand coming back on my right-shoulder._

_**"Aș vrea să pot spune 'da'**_(I wish I could say 'yes')_**,"**__ he answered. I'm glad he gave me an honest answer instead of a lie, because he seems to know that it'll only make me feel worse than better if he lied. I then lifted my gaze to him, letting him see the tears held within my eyes. **"****Dar va fi mai bine... Pentru tine... Asta promit...**_(But it will get better... For you... That I promise...)_**" **__I soon felt myself trembling, and then did something that I never thought I would do: Without any thoughts about my actions, I launched myself towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I buried my face into his chest, feeling rather embarrassed of what I just did. Before I could pull back and apologize, I felt strong-arms wrap themselves around me and holding me in place._

_The warmth surrounding me makes me think back when my father would hold me when I would get nightmares, when my mom would hug me when I get sick, when my uncle held me when I couldn't find mom or dad, when my aunt would hug me when I'm hurt, when John would hold me when we would sit on one of the platforms of the trapeze, when Mr. Haly and my circus family held me when I was broken from watching my family fall, and when Ethan held me when I needed somebody to be by my side._

_I was so lost in my own thoughts, that I didn't realize we were still holding each other until I found out we were now sitting in the chair, with me sitting in Bruce's lap. I could feel one of his hands rubbing my back in soothing circles while his other hand was keeping my head resting on his chest, where I could hear his heartbeat banging against my left-ear._

_**"Îmi pare rău**__**," **__I whispered. Bruce simply shook his head, which I felt his movement, and then felt his arms tighten their hold on me._

_**"E în regulă**_(It's alright)_**,"**__ he told me. As we stayed within the position on the chair, my mind began to wonder. I was slowly beginning to think on how wrong I thought of Bruce. To be honest, I thought he was just going to use me for publicity and then cast me aside once he has no use of me anymore. But the way he held me, the way he told me on how he understands what I'm going through, it made me feel comfort... A comfort that I never thought I would feel again, right after my family fell and my circus family __giving me to Lieutenant Gordon with no free will._

___My heart seems to feel a bit better, and it seems to suddenly warm up from the comfort Bruce is giving to me. But the strange part is while about my heart, is that it only warms up when it was a family member or my parents comforting me or sensing that person's love and is returning that love back. My heart's reaction caught me by surprise, because I'm not so sure if it's that possible for me to feel this emotion to somebody who just took me into his home for five days from the Juvenile Detention Center. Maybe it's just that I was feeling so tired and was missing the warmth of somebody holding that made my heart warm up, but something in my head told me I was wrong._  


___My eyes grew heavy, and felt very tired from having to let loose tears that I cried out last night. I made a move to pull away from Bruce's warmth and head back to my room, but he kept me firmly in his arms._

___**"Du-te la culcare, Dick.**_(Go to sleep, Dick.)_**" **____He told me, who seems to not care if I slept in his lap while he was still sitting in the chair. I wanted to protest at first, but the comforting warmth of his arms and the heaviness feeling in my eyes were beating me to sleep. As if sensing me trying to fight it, Bruce suddenly started to slowly rock me back and forth, as if I was a baby. **"E bine să dormi, Dickie. Nu voi fi supărat pe tine. Nu trebuie să-ți fie frică să meargă la culcare. Voi fi aici dacă ai coșmaruri.**_(It's okay to sleep, Dickie. I won't be mad at you. You don't have to be afraid to go to sleep. I'll be here if you get nightmares.)_**" **____His words were starting to echo through my mind and my vision was starting to go all blurry, which means that I was losing my fight to stay awake. The rocking kept going, the gentle stroking on my hair calming me, and the warmth covering me from the cold night is finally putting me into darkness. Right before I fell asleep, I could've sworn that I heard Bruce making me some sort of a promise, but I couldn't make out the words because of the darkness silencing the sound and Bruce's heartbeat being louder than his words._

___When I woke up, it was still nighttime and I noticed three things: One, I'm not at the fireplace anymore. Two, I'm in another room instead of my own room. And three, I was still within Bruce's arms and laying next to his sleeping form. According to my analysis about my surrounds, I must've been in his room. I guess while I was sleeping, he took me to bed with him instead of having to drop me back to my own room. His bed was much bigger than mine, though a lot of beds are bigger to me because I'm short for my age._

___Being as quiet as I could and without having to wake Bruce up, I slowly slid out of his arms. Once I was out of the _secureness___ of his hold, I silently hopped off his bed and made my way towards the door. Right before I turned the door knob, I had to sneak a look to Bruce. I'm actually surprise to see him sleeping in bed, since I would usually see him awake and ready to go to work. It actually makes me happy to see him here and sleeping, and a bit surprise to see him relaxing and letting his guard down. I simply smiled, and felt my heart warm up once more. The way it's behaving right now still confuses me, but it's certainly making me feel a bit better. And so, I quietly opened the door and closed it behind me, as I made my way back to my room to watch more of the moon before it and the stars would have to leave and be replace by the clouds and hidden sun._

* * *

That part seems to have completely surprise many of the Justice League, but it seems to startle Batman when Dick had explained what his heart was doing. And according to his suggestion and the feeling in his stone cold heart, it probably must've been the first time the boy had actually accepted or sees him as his second father at that moment. J'onn could sense the Dark Knight's emotion of love and pain surrounding him from the thoughts of Dick.

_'It seems that the boy has changed him sooner than we all had expected...' _He thought to himself, and continued on reading.

* * *

**Friday: May 5, 2005**_  
Yesterday had been a big surprise, and perhaps one of the greatest time I had since I've been forced to live in Gotham. Well, most of the day had been great until the day was nearing its end._

_When morning came, the sun was finally allowed to come out but half of the clouds stayed in the sky. It didn't matter though, because the sun is finally out and that's all that matters. Then, when I finally came out of my room, still in my pajamas, I was surprise to have Bruce surprise me into a tight embrace. I probably had scared him when he woke up to find me gone, so I returned the embrace. He didn't let me go when we finished our little hug-fest, and carried me down the stairs towards the kitchen. Alfred was making breakfast, as usual, wearing an apron and cooking different kind of food in different pans on the stove. From the smell of it, he was making pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. We actually ate together that morning, and it actually felt nice to eat together than eating alone at the big table._

_After eating and getting ready for the day, Bruce did something that I never thought he would do: Instead of his usual going to work or taking off to wherever he goes when he doesn't have work, he actually kept his word on not having work and took me to the Gotham Zoo. That place had a lot more animals than the Haly's Circus, but it's not like the circus. The Zoo Keepers keep them locked in cages or placed fences around their dens to keep zoo visitors from petting them or the animals attacking the citizens. Otherwise, it was fun. During our walk around the place, Bruce had kept a close eye on me and made sure that I was always by his side. I also did the same, since there are a lot of strangers that I don't know and being in the JDC for three weeks had made me antisocial and very shy around others._

_When we reached the bird area, I was very fascinated on variety of birds they have. Bruce actually smiled when he saw my look of surprise on my face, as I watch the different kinds of birds flying over us and landing into the trees. Seeing that they could have almost all the kind of birds from the entire world, my Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes scanned for a specific bird that really wanted to see. Bruce noticed me looking for something and had offered to help me find it, but I declined his offer to help. I had to find the bird on my own, and being a Flying Grayson means you can look beyond those who never soared through the air like a bird. So far, I saw a Cockatoo, three Parrots, two Barn Owls, six red-hawks, and a couple of other birds. However, there was no sign of the bird I was trying to find. My hope felt going small, and I lowered my head a bit down. Just as I turned towards the exit with Bruce..._

_**"Chirp, chirp, chirp!" **I stopped when I heard the sound of chirping, and turned my head towards the direction of the call. I then smiled when I saw the bird I was looking for, and Bruce also turned to see what had gotten me to smile: There, up in a tree, was an American Robin. It was looking straight at me, chirping as if it knew who I am to it. Its feathers flashing brightly from the lights shining from above, with its chest looking between a __red-_maroon and a peachy-orange. Bruce also saw the bird and turned back to me, giving me a questioning look.  


_**"Robin?**_(The Robin?)_**"**__ He asked, which I nodded._

_**"Eu doar le-am văzut în cărți, dar niciodată în viața reală.**_(I only seen them in books, but never in actual life.)_**" **__I explained, raising my left-hand out towards the bird that was sitting from above. The small bird cocked its head to the left, and then to the right. It was either wondering what I was doing, or what I want it to do. I know that birds who had been raised by humans would come to their master until they're to be released into the wild or need to be put in retirement, but I wanted to see what the robin would do on its own free will, even when it lives in a zoo. Before Bruce could say something to me, which I knew it was that the bird won't come, a surprise happen: The robin flew down from its branch, and landed into my outstretched hand. I smiled at the small-bird, as I stared into its little-blue eyes, which stared directly back at me. And then, as if greeting an old friend or family member, it rubbed its head against a few of my fingers. Bruce was completely shocked when he had watched the bird come to me, especially when we had never known each other and that I never seen an actual American Robin in my whole life._

_**"A venit la tine**_(It came to you)_**," **__he stated. I simply nodded my head, as I gently stroke its head with my right, earning a few chirps from the small-bird. The feathers were soft and warm against my skin, that it actually calmed and soothed my worried mind. However, the presence of the robin brought back a time when I used to be one like it._

_**"Înapoi, atunci când mama mea obișnuia să fie în viață, ea ar spune-mi-o 'Mica Robin'.**_(Back when my mom used to be alive, she would call me her 'Little Robin'.)_**" **__I told Bruce, as I lifted my right-hand back into the air. I really wanted the robin to stay with me or at least take it out to let it go, but I have a feeling that I'll be in big trouble if I do that. After all, the bird is owned by the Gotham Zoo... And for some reason, I have this small feeling that I'm being owned by Bruce myself. The robin gave me a few more chirps, before spreading its silver-like wings and flying back to its tree._

**_"_****Serios?**(Really?)**_"_**

**_"_****Da... Ea mi-a spus, chiar înainte de a ne-am dus pe pentru a efectua, că ori de câte ori ea ma vede pe trapez, mi-ar face-o un pic gândi Robin.**(Yeah... She told me, right before we went on to perform, that whenever she sees me on the trapeze, I would make her think of a little robin.)**_" _**_Though it may sound girly that my mom would call me a name that would get kids my age beaten up if they heard the nickname, I think that name makes me very special, besides the fact that I really love birds. Bruce seemed happy of me to tell him that and placed an arm around my shoulders, leading me out of the bird area and to another part of the zoo. Wish we had stayed longer, because without warning or knowing, a couple of photographers took a couple of shots at us by surprise and that's when we had to leave before the paparazzi would show up._

_After leaving the Gotham Zoo, we then went to the Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch. Though I had already eaten Italian Food, this restaurant has got to be one of the best places to get the best spaghetti in the city, possibly the state. The waitress was very nice and cheerful when she greeted us and took our orders, though she seems to be acting rather strange when she's around Bruce and placing our appetizers on the table. It was most likely one of his playboy charms, and that he's filthy rich. As long as she's not a photographer or a paparazzi, then I'm alright with her being near Bruce, though I don't like how she keeps flirting with him constantly and coming over to our table after taking our orders to the chef._

_I was planning on going to the manager or the other workers of the restaurant and tell them that one of their workers were slacking off, but I could tell it would be best not to. First off, she looks to be in her teen-year, like Ethan. Second, she looks rather tired and exhausted. Besides, she only looks as though she just wants to talk to him and wasn't really hitting him like other girls would do. So, I just let them talk while I drew on the paper and crayons she gave me earlier. I felt odd for some reason as I was drawing, and my hand almost seems to be working on its own. By the time the waitress left to check on our food, I actually finished my drawing... And it completely startled me on what I just drew: There was a little robin, with its head down and small droplets of tears streaming down its face, as it stood over a body of an adult robin. Both were on the ground instead of in a tree, and the adult robin was lying on its back. Both of the birds have scars on their bodies and their wings looked broken, with the little robin folding one of its wing in an odd angle and the adult bird having both of its wings spread out on the ground. There was also blood forming underneath the adult robin's body, with some blood dripping or forming underneath the little robin. I quickly turned my drawing over, for I didn't want Bruce to see what I just drew and was lucky that the waitress came back with our lunch. Just before she left us to eat, she said something to Bruce that sounded like **"Your son needs to put on more weight**_._**"**__  
_

_Lunch felt awkward and I was only able to eat half a bread-stick and some of my spaghetti, while Bruce had finished two bread-sticks and half of his Italian Food. So, we had the rest of our food in boxes and soon left when Bruce paid for our lunch. I took the drawing with us, but I folded it up and hid it underneath my shirt. The drawing now makes me think of my uncle, who I haven't heard from the doctors lately. I then clenched my left-hand around the robin and wolf pendant on my necklace._

**_"Ești bine, Dick?_**(You alright, Dick?)_**" **__Bruce asked me, as he kept his gaze on the road through the window of his car. I must've been too quiet in the car for him to be asking me that, or maybe he just took a quick glance at me to see me grabbing for my necklace around my neck._

**_"I'm fine," _**_I told him. He seemed to have left it like that at first, until he suddenly slammed on his breaks. I felt gravity pulling me towards the airbag in front of me, but my seatbelt kept me to my seat and it was a good thing that Bruce got control of the car and parked on the side of a sidewalk in front of a shop with other cars parking near the sidewalk also. I felt my heart slowing down after the that little excitement, and was able to regain my breath. Our lunch from the boxes were also alright, since they were sitting beside me and had the seat belt over them like me. I then turned to Bruce, who seemed to have also caught his breath and was staring completely wide-eyes at me. I didn't know what I did to make him stare at me like that, because all I did was answered him... That was when I realized it wasn't what I did, but it was what I just said to him._

**_"Wh... What did you just say?" _**_Yep, my hunch was correct. And so, I spoke again._

**_"I said, 'I'm fine.'" _**_He was clearly surprised on what I just said, especially that I didn't answer in Romanian._

**_"You... You can speak English?" _**_That time, I felt really offended, like he thought that I shouldn't be able to understand him in English or to speak that language._

**_"Yeah," _**_I replied. **"I had been for four years, but I'm still learning." **Bruce now looked confused, but I'm glad that his eyes were no longer looking as if they're going to pop out of his skull._

**_"If you could speak in English, why didn't you tell me?" _**_I just gave him a blank look._

**_"I thought you knew, since I had been traveling around the world and performing in different parts of the Continents. I thought that should be enough to let you know that I had been learning different kinds of languages, and felt like I shouldn't need to tell... Although, I was sort of planning on telling you when you first took me in, but you were speaking in my language before I could tell you so myself." _**_I then saw Bruce blush, which was quiet a surprise since he seems like a person who doesn't get embarrassed that easily. **"Besides, I've only been speaking English when I used to be at the JDC with Ethan." **The blush quickly left his face._

**_"Ethan? Who is he?" _**_I turned my gaze away from his navy-blue eyes, now feeling upset and missing my brother-figure back at hell._

**_"He's a friend I made at the JDC," _**_I answered. **"We both sort of had a connection, and we became friends after I stood up for him from bullies." **I then felt a hand being placed on my left-shoulder._

**_"Ethan sounds like a great friend to have," _**_he told me. I only nodded in an agreement, and then felt Bruce starting the car to continue driving._

_We basically went back to Wayne Manor, and stayed the rest of our day there. It was nice, since we all ate together like we did this morning. And after that, we went and watched a movie called, _**'Eight Below'**._ It was a great movie and even though they didn't actually died, the movie was based on a true story and it's also sad that two of the dogs died while waiting for their master to comeback for them and trying to survive on their own. I fell asleep right when the movie was ending, and then felt myself being lifted up before darkness took over._

_Then, early in the morning like last night, I found myself once again in Bruce's room. I was confused on why I'm sleeping with him again, because I don't recall on coming into his room or having him comforting me from having a nightmare, only that I fell asleep when the movie ended and that was it. Still, it was nice to have somebody with me instead of being alone in the dark. I made a move to leave his room again, like I did last night, but it seems he's going to make sure that I'm still in bed when he wakes up. Because instead of me having to slide out of his hold, Bruce kept a firm grip onto my light-blue pajamas and then unconsciously pulled me closer to him like I was his stuff bear he wants to cuddle with. Now, I'm trapped within his hold and knew he will most likely not let me go until he wakes up or I wake him up from his sleep. Mom and dad always told me to never wake somebody up unless it was an emergency, and I have no emergencies that gives me the right to wake Bruce up. Besides, he may have work today and he would need all the sleep he could get. So, I just stayed within his hold and wait for sleep to take me back. However, for some reason, something has been bothering me that is preventing me to fall back to sleep. The feeling in my stomach came back, and it was starting to make my stomach ache. I curled into a ball, as I placed both my hands underneath Bruce's to hold my stomach. I bit my bottom lip, trying to hold back my groans and to not wake up Bruce._

**_'Stay calm,' _**_I thought to myself. **'Just stay calm, and it'll go away.' **So far, my methods weren't working and my stomach gotten worse. Just when I thought the pain was going to split my guts open, it just stopped all of a sudden and completely vanished, as if it never was hurting me. I quit biting my lip, which held a couple of bite-marks on the skin but no signs of blood anywhere. I then let loose a big sigh, glad that the pain was finally gone. However, I knew in the back of my mind, that it wouldn't be the last time I would feel the pain in my stomach and that the ache was trying to warn me. I already knew what, and I just hoped that my hunch wouldn't be correct. And so, I tried to push that thought aside and try to go back to sleep with Bruce until the sun or its light awakens us._

* * *

Alfred offered his charge a smile from hearing how he had spend time with Dick and placing a hand on Batman's right-shoulder when he watch the Dark Knight lowering his head.

"That day was one of the greatest miracle he presented to me, Alfred... But I never knew he drew that sort of drawing, or that he was still in pain." He whispered to the butler so that only the elder could hear, but knew very well that Superman could still him.

"I know, sir. I, too, didn't see the drawing, even when I took his clothes away that night." Alfred replied, noticing Bruce clenching both his hands into fists.

"But that was before he received that dreadful call the next day, and turned made his life into a more darker Hell." The butler knew very well what he means, and deep down, he has a feeling that the next part the green martian was going to read to us was going to be about that day Dick got the call that nearly took his very life and soul.

* * *

**Saturday: May 6, 2005  
**_I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe the doctor's words... I wasn't expecting to receive that call... But it happened, and I went over there to see so myself... I was devastated, and I felt whatever hope left for me shattered and last remains of my soul being pulled into the darkest abyss. I wasn't expecting to get a call from the doctors, because I went to the hospital yesterday to visit my uncle._

_Before I went to the hospital, I was at the cemetery and visiting my deceased family. On each of their deathbeds, I placed red-roses that I took from Bruce's garden. Odd but sweet, he had kept his mother's garden alive for years and the flowers seems to hold life to the __Manor_, even though they're hidden behind the right-side of the mansion. I also brought some roses for Thomas and Martha Wayne, Bruce's parents. I didn't tell Alfred or Bruce that was I was going to the cemetery, since Bruce had work today and Alfred left to get groceries. And with nothing to do at the _Manor_, I decided to use that opportunity to spend time with my deceased family and visit Bruce's parents. I stayed with them for half the day, right around noon, until I felt something very odd when the wind suddenly blew against me without warning. I shivered from its harsh cold, and slowly made my way back to the Manor.

_Once inside, I heard one of the phones ringing in the kitchen and a few other phones echoing throughout the __Manor. I'm still nervous living in Wayne Manor and had been told, by Bruce and Alfred, to never answer the phones unless they're with me. So, I just let the phones ring and let the machine take the message. Right when I was heading towards the stairs, the person's voice on the answering machine made me stop._

**"Mr. Wayne, this is Dr. Marcus, from the Gotham City General Hospital."**___ I immediately ran to the kitchen and hopped onto the kitchen counter, sitting next to the phone._** "If either you or Richard are there or get this message, please call me back. We have news on Richard's uncle's condition." **___Knowing that I may get punished, I snatched the phone off of the answering machine and pressed the 'On' button.  
_

___**"Hello?" **I answered, causing the voicemail to stop on the answering machine.  
_

**"Richard Grayson?" **___Dr. Marcus asked on the other line.  
_

___**"Yes?" **I replied, feeling a bit nervous on what he's going to tell me about my Uncle Rick._

**"This is Dr. Marcus. Can you please come to the hospital today?" **___I tightened my grip onto the phone with both my hands. If Bruce or Alfred were with me right now, then I would be able to get over there in at least twenty minutes. However, since both of them are gone, I'll most likely be walking over there.  
_

___**"Okay... Can I be there by myself?" **The doctor didn't answer me immediately, which means he could either be wondering why I had asked if I could come alone, or that he could be asking the other doctors if it were alright._

**"You may, since this news does involves about your uncle. Get to the hospital as soon as you can, alright?" **___I smiled in gratitude from his words._

___**"Alright, I'll be there soon." **I said, and hung the phone to leave the Manor sooner than later. However, just when I was heading to the door, something in the back of my mind told me to bring the picture I drew at the restaurant and show it to my uncle. Before we had dinner, I hid the picture in the drawer beside my bed, which is being hidden underneath a couple of books my cousin and I would read while traveling to our next destination to perform. I was hoping to never see the drawing or bring it out, but something in my head told me to keep it in a safe place and bring it out until it was time. And to the feeling in my head, it was that time. So, I went into my room, pulled my books off of my drawing, pulled the paper from the bottom of my drawer, placed my book back inside before closing my drawer, and left the house after closing my bedroom door to get to the hospital.  
_

___It seemed like forever, but had only took an hour and ten minutes to get there by foot and only forty minutes to just get into Gotham City. During my walk, I had folded and placed my drawing in one of my sweater's pockets. I didn't take a train or bus and had worn a black hoodie over my head, because I'm pretty certain that the Paparazzi would try and get me the moment they see my face before I get the chance to reach the hospital. Besides, I didn't feel like sitting around and riding a vehicle. As an acrobat and a Flying Grayson, we always want to be on the move and would have trouble sitting around to wait if it takes too long. I at times wonder why Bruce wants to live far away from Gotham, but I'm actually glad he does live far away from the city._

___Once I was inside the GCGH, Dr. Marcus greeted me from the front desk and I gave him a tiring smile._

**___"Glad you can finally make it, Richard." _**___Dr. ____Marcus said, placing an arm on my back and slowly guiding me towards an elevator. **"It must've been difficult, and very tiring to get to the city and here by foot." **It seems that I couldn't hide anything from the doctor, for he gave me a quick wink and then guided me to my uncle's room once the elevator took us to Floor 8. I was very nervous and scared on what Dr. Marcus was going to tell me._

**___"What's wrong with Uncle Rick? Is he going to be alright?" _**___I asked, slowly tightening my hands into fists and trembling when I tried to stay calm and keep my cool. Dr. Marcus only gave me a gentle pat on the back._

**___"We're doing everything we can for him, Richard." _**___He answered, stopping in front of the door-room #056._

**___"But what is it that you need to tell me about his health?" _**___That time, he gave me a sad smile._

**___"Sorry, pal, but I'm afraid this news will be for only Bruce to hear." _**___He explained to me, while opening the door to show me my comatose uncle. **"In the meantime, why don't you stay with him? I'll have somebody send you some lunch, and I'll let you know when Mr. Wayne comes by. Okay?" **I knew that there's something wrong with my uncle, and think I wouldn't be able to handle the truth if they told me. So, I just nodded my head and slowly made my way to my uncle's sleeping form. Even at a far distance, I could tell that he was a bit more paler than the last time I saw him. I could also see he's losing some weight, and is being feed through a tube. I pulled the chair next to the bed closer, and pulled down my hood to get a better look at my sleeping uncle. I smiled sadly at his figure and placed both my hands in my sweater, feeling the folded paper in my left-pocket._

___**"Hei, unchiule Rick.**_(Hey, Uncle Rick.)_**"**____ I greeted, smiling as big as I could to try and sound alright to him, even when he can't see me but can at least hear me. **"Îmi pare rău că nu am fost aici ultima vreme, Bruce și cu mine am fost încercarea de a obligațiuni în ultimele zile.**_(Sorry that I haven't been here lately, Bruce and I were trying to bond these last few days.)_**"**____ I then placed my right-hand over my uncle's right, which had a needle taped underneath his skin that's giving him fluids. **"Mi-ai lipsit... Deci, foarte mult...**_(I missed you... So very much...)_**"**_

___My left slowly curled around the folded drawing, and pulled it out of my pocket. _**"****_Unchiule Rick, nu e ceva ce trebuie să-ți arăt._**(Uncle Rick, there's something I need to show you.)**_"_ **_Once the folded paper was out, I slowly began to unfold it. **"La un restaurant, numit Old Spaghetti Factory, am desenat o imagine.**_(At a restaurant, called the Old Spaghetti Factory, I drew a picture.)_**" **__Soon, after unfolding it four times, the picture was now in viewed as the two robins but with lines that showed the squares on how many times I folded it. **"Am desenat doi Robins, un adult și un copil ... Ambele sunt speriat și pe pământ, cu pasărea adultă culcat pe spate, cu răspândirea ei aripi... Copilul a stat peste corpul său, știind că Robin adult este mort.**_(I drew two robins, an adult and a baby... Both are scarred and on the ground, with the adult bird lying on its back with its wings spread... The baby stood over its body, knowing that the adult robin is dead.)_**"**_

_I then stood from my spot, feeling fear coursing through my body. **"****Unchiule, am văzut o reală Robin la grădina zoologică ieri și a fost atât de frumos... Acum știu de ce mama mi-a poreclit ca ei 'Micul Robin'...**_(Uncle, I saw an actual robin at the zoo yesterday and it was so beautiful... I now know why my mother nicknamed me as her 'Little Robin'...)_**"**__ I then smiled sadly when I thought about that little bird. **"Am fost, de asemenea, posibilitatea de a obține Robin să vină la mine, fără să vină să-l...**_(I was also able to get the robin to come to me, without coming to it...)_**"**__ A tear suddenly glided down my cheek. **"Nu știu de ce, dar asta mă face să mă gândesc robin de tine... Cum ar fi, ești ca Robin-am văzut la Zoo Gotham.**_(I don't know why, but that robin makes me think of you... Like, you're that robin I saw at the Gotham Zoo.)_**"**_

_My hands began to tremble, as a few more tears streamed down my face. **"Unchiule Rick, dacă ai fost ca Robin la zoo... Este că semnul tău mi-a spus că ești... Ești pe moarte, și sunt prea mă părăsesc?**_(Uncle Rick, if you were that robin at the zoo... Is that your sign telling me that you're... You're dying, and are leaving me too?)_**"**__ That is my greatest fear at that moment, losing my last blood-relative and to live alone for the rest of my live. But I knew, deep down in my heart and soul, that he needs to do it. **"****Dacă sunt, atunci ar trebui să meargă... Fi liber de această durere, și ********să fie reunit cu familia noastră în Rai... Nu meriți să sufere soarta niciodată să se simtă, sau puteți merge pe propriile picioare din******** nou...**_(If you are, then you should go... Be free from this pain, and be reunited with our family in Heaven... You don't deserve to suffer the fate to never feel, or walk on your own feet again...)_**"**__ I then bent my head into his chest, listening to his heart beating in an odd rhythm rather than a machine. **"Va fi bine, promit. Doar știind că familia mea este împreună și sunt în așteptare pentru mine să li se alăture într-o zi, voi avea nici un regret care trăiesc în această lume crudă...**_(It'll be okay, I promise. Just knowing that my family is together and are waiting for me to join them someday, I'll have no regrets living in this cruel world...)_**"**_

_I didn't bother to wipe my tears, for they only glide down my face and will be absorb into the fabric of the white-blanket over my uncle. I didn't bother to lift my head off of him, for hearing the beating of a family member's heart is what always calms me whenever I'm distressed or distraught. I didn't bother to greet whoever came into the room, even when a hand has been placed on my back and is trying to pull me away from my uncle.  
_

_**"Richard..." **It was Bruce's voice, which meant he was the one who has his hand on my back and is trying to take me away from my relative. **"It's time to go, son." **I cringed from him calling me 'son,' for only my mother and father were the only ones who can call me 'son'. I didn't want to leave him, feeling the pain in my stomach coming back, warning me something bad is going to happen.  
_

_**"Nu pot să-l** **las**_(I can't leave him)_**,"**_ _I told him. Before I knew it, I was being lifted into somebody's arms and my arms automatically wrapped themselves around Bruce's neck, with my face buried into his shoulder and leaving stains on his dark-brown coat._

_**"I'm sorry, Dickie." **He apologized, slowly leading us towards the door to leave my uncle and out of the hospital. My eyes gazed back at my uncle, staying still as the day I first saw him in the GCGH.  
_

_**"****La revedere, unchiule** **Richard...**_(Goodbye, Uncle Richard...)_**"**__ I whispered out to him, as I felt sleep slowly trying to pull me into darkness. I didn't want to go to sleep, not when this pain in my stomach kept on crushing me and my heart aching to be by my uncle's side. Sadly, sleep was already winning and had no choice but to close my eyes. Right before Dr. Marcus closed the door when he went inside the room and sleep finally consumed me, I stared at my drawing still laid on Uncle Rick's bed and tightened my grip onto the material of Bruce's coat. **'Te rog, nu veni adevărat...**_(Please, don't come true...)_**'**__  
_

_When I woke up, it was three in the next morning, and was in my own bedroom this time. I guess Bruce thinks I would want my own space once I wake up from my sleep, which I'm very grateful for and really need it. Now that I'm awake, my stomach once again began to hurt. The fire of the pain grew, keeping me up and making me feel like I'm going to be sick again. However, it completely vanished the moment it started. I grew very nervous when I felt the pain had vanished, knowing that after it vanishes that quickly it means the danger is gone and the bad news has finished and passed. My mouth felt dry, and the need to get water got me to get out of bed and head towards the door. The hallways are dark and quiet, which signals me that Alfred and Bruce are most likely asleep and need to be a quiet as I could._

_And so, after sliding down the railing and climbing up the kitchen counter, I soon had my glass of water in my hands and was now making my way back to my room. Just when I was closing in to my room door, the sound of a phone ringing caught my hearing and made me stop from continuing on down the hallway. The phone had gain my curiosity, making wonder on who would be calling in the middle of the morning and when many people are still sleeping. The annoying ringing kept going and echoing through the Manor, which could wake Bruce and Alfred from their sleeps. So, without thinking on who could be calling, I picked up the phone and pushed the 'On' button with my right-hand while holding onto the glass with my left._

**_"Hello?" _**_I answered, bringing the glass towards me and getting some sips of water._

**"Richard?" **_I put down my glass when I heard the voice who said my name._

_**"Dr. Marcus?" **I heard silenced on the other line for only a few seconds._

**"Richard... There's something I need to tell you, about your uncle." **_I could hear regret in his voice, which means it was going to be bad news. I really hoped that it wasn't what I hope didn't come true. _**"You see, yesterday morning, we were examining him and found out that his condition has worsened. We also found out that his spleen has been torn, and we don't have the material or a donor to help us repair it." **_The hand that was holding the glass of water began to tremble, and my breathing grew short. _**"So, because of that, we had no other options or way to save your uncle, even if we were able to take him to one of Wayne's best hospitals." **_My teeth clench to each other and felt tears forming within them. _**"I'm very sorry to tell you this and thus we've done everything we could to help your uncle, but I'm afraid that I must to tell you the terrible news... Your uncle, Richard Grayson, has passed away yesterday at 8:30 PM... I'm so sorry, Richard..." **_I didn't bother on replying back to Dr. Marcus, and my eyes only stared at the wall in front of me. I suddenly lost hold on my glass, and didn't bother to make a move on catching it._

_***Crash* **Water and glass now splattered on the floor, with some shards from the glass embedding themselves into my left-foot and drawing small droplets of blood._

**"Richard? Are you still there?" **_I thought Dr. Marcus would've hung up after giving me the news, but he must've decided to stay on when he heard nothing but the glass shattering onto the floor. _**"Richard?" **_I knew that I needed to reply back, or else I could worry him even more and may even have an ambulance to come to the Manor.  
_

_**"I'm still here," **I replied. **"Thank you for telling me... Did he passed on peacefully?" **I heard a low sigh.  
_

**"He did, we pulled the plug before anything else could happen to cause him to be in anymore pain." **_That was all I needed to hear.  
_

_**"Thank you, Dr. Marcus... For telling me this, and for ending his suffering painlessly."**  
_

**"No problem, Richard... Are you going to be alright?" **_I already knew he would be asking me that._

_**"I'll be fine," **I said.  
_

**"Alright... Richard, I'm very sorry about your uncle... Would you like to come see him someday today?"**

_**"Please, Dr. Marcus."**  
_

**"Very well... Have a goodnight, if you can, Richard."**

_**"Thank you, Doctor, you too." **I then placed the phone back on the answering machine after pressing the 'Off' button, knowing that Dr. Marcus has also hung up. I lowered my head and closed my eyes, letting the tears to spill down my cheeks and onto the floor to mix with the stained rug and pieces of glass. It took me a while for me to finally notice my foot bleeding and my cup has broken into pieces. So, without a care on further injuring myself, I bent down and began to scoop the pieces into my left-hand and using my right to push or place the pieces into my palm. I counted at least thirty-seven pieces that the cup has broken into, but I knew Bruce has more than thirty-seven cups to replace this one. I then went back downstairs to the kitchen and dropped the pieces into the trashcan. I then went into a cabinet to get a small towel and wrapped it tightly around my foot. Blood seeped through the fabric, but I knew it'll soon clot and will heal in time. The only thing that won't heal are my mind, my heart, and soul. I now have this feeling that Bruce knew that he was going to die when Dr. Marcus was talking to him, and decided to either tell me or have the doctor tell me when I would wake up._

_I now fear on what I would have to tell Mr. Haly and the circus about Uncle Rick's death when they would comeback to Gotham, or when I would send them a letter. If my hunches are correct, his death will soon be all over the news and the reporters will probably try to get me to tell them how I feel... But I don't want to talk, not anymore. I don't feel like seeing, hearing, or feeling anything anymore. I don't feel like doing anything, which also includes... I don't want to live anymore and wish to just die and be with my family. However, I have to for my deceased family, for I made a promise that I will keep living on for their sakes... Even if it kills me from the inside, I'll keep on living until the day I can no longer keep living._

* * *

_**Your heavens trying everything-**_  
_**Your heavens trying everything to break me... Down...**_

* * *

J'onn gently placed a bookmark to the next part of the boy's journal, and gently closed it. He had his red-eyes closed and his head bowed, as he felt everyone's negative emotions spreading throughout the room. However, that wasn't the reason why he stopped reading it or had closed the small book. No, it was because he was sensing Worry and Fear from outside of the Meeting Room.

"Something isn't right," he said. Before anyone could ask the green martian, the doors were pushed open and a gush of yellow and red wind came into the room. When the wind stopped, it was shown that it was Kid Flash that came into the room and his face held fear and horror.

"We need help... It's Dick..." He panted out, which was a big surprise to see a Speedster panting from running. After being given the small information, both Batman and J'onn leap out of their seats and followed the younger Speedster towards the direction of the Medical Bay, where the rest of the team and Roy were trying to bring Dick back to life when his heart had once again stopped without warning.

TBC

* * *

It was suppose to be a one-shot, but I decided to make this sort of a story.  
Also, I watched Batman: Under the Red Hood: Have to say, very disappointed on the ending. Though it seemed sweet to see Jason actually happy when he became Robin, but wasn't satisfied that they would have a happy past be placed after a horrible battle. I wonder where Jason went?... Hey must've vanished when the building exploded. But anyway, I'm planning on making a story from the movie, only I'm going to be using Dick.

**R&R**


	3. Breakdown

**Another Week Later...  
**It seems things were going from bad to worse for Dick, for his condition has worsened when his heart had stopped that week ago. And because of that, he's been constantly watched by either a member from the Young Justice or a member from the Justice League. Bruce stayed with the boy as much as he could, only to leave when he needs to use the restroom, go to work as either Bruce Wayne or Batman, or when somebody drags him to his dorm of the Watchtower when he would doze off. Alfred wanted to stay and help the heroes watch over the boy as well, but he has business to take care of back at the Manor. However, he was able to have Leslie to go up to the Watchtower and help the other doctors take care of the boy they both think of as their own grandson.

Ever since the incident of his heart had stopped, the League didn't get the chance to hear the rest of what Dick has written in his journal and the only who has the black-book is Bruce, after Alfred had handed the Journal to him when the Dark Knight and green martian ran out of the Meeting Room that day. During the time of watching over the thirteen year-old, none has spoken about the Journal or bothered to mention about it. However, Bruce would feel his fingers gently stroking the black-cover and inch towards the edges to open it where J'onn has marked it.

Today, Both Wolf and Bruce are watching over the boy, while the rest of the Justice League Members were either taking care of villains in their hometown or going on missions. And as stubborn as both Clark and Conner, Wolf chose to stay with the boy and would growl at anyone who would try and get him to leave. The only times he would go is to head back down to Earth, and do his business. While food, water, and sleep are what he has in the room with Dick.

Bruce didn't actually minded if the genetically engineered-wolf stayed with his son, knowing that the white-animal is doing an excellent job on protecting the boy when he isn't around to watch over the child. However, whenever Wolf's golden-yellow eyes would come and stare at him, especially at his Navy-Blue eyes, the experimented-wolf would growl or snarl when their eyes would either meet or whenever Bruce would make any physical contact with Dick.

And today was no different, especially with Wolf laying on the same bed with the thirteen year-old and keeping his body warm while he still has massive Hypothermia. When the growling finally got on his nerve, Bruce decided to do one thing he never thought he was going to do the moment the white-wolf joined the team: Talk to the animal, even if he doesn't understand them.

"Alright, this has got to stop." He said, getting Wolf to cock his head to the side and to stop growling for the moment, except it didn't get the white-animal to stop glaring at him. "Whenever we make eye contact or whenever I make any physical contact with Dick, you would growl or snarl at me. You would even glare at me for just being in the room, mostly when I would leave to either go on patrol or do my civilian job." Wolf simply snorted and turned his gaze away from Bruce, obviously acting like he has no idea what the billionaire was saying, though Wolf is a lot smarter than any average wolf on Earth. "Even though I don't understand you, since you are an animal and I am a human, I want to know why you keep on giving me these treatment when I did absolutely nothing to you."

Wolf didn't hide any secrets when Bruce said those words. In fact, he gave the playboy a surprise: He stood on the bed, quickly got into a crouching position, and was soon on top of the man, who he has pinned to the floor on his back. From the way the white-wolf is snarling at Bruce, it was a clear red-flag that the billionaire has angered the wolf. Despite having to lift heavy weights many times for years, Wolf appears to be show not letting him off the floor and proves to be a lot stronger than he looks.

Then before he knew it, Wolf snatched the black journal out of Bruce's hand with his fangs and leap off of the billionaire to be back on the bed. "Hey!" He yelled, quickly getting to his feet and making his way to the white-wolf, who has gently placed the book on top of Dick's chest and curling himself on top of the boy's legs. As he laid down, he used his snout to move Dick's right-hand to be on top of the journal. "What's the big idea, you wolf?!" Bruce yelled, making a move to grab Wolf by the scruff of his neck and to pull him off the bed. Before his fingers could even brush against the soft-white fur, he stopped when he saw the journal on top of his son's chest and being limply held in his right-hand. Wolf then turned his gaze back to the billionaire, making a couple of growls and grunts, as he gently grabbed for the sleeve on Bruce's arm and pulled it towards the journal.

When Bruce's large, rough, and calloused hand made connection to Dick's smaller hand on top of the small book, his heart skipped a few beats when he felt how cold his skin was on top but how warm and actually soft his palms hiding underneath the cold-skins was.

It was said by many people who have made connections to animals, which also includes Dick himself, that animals are a lot like human and could actually be smarter than them. And to Native Americans and the Legend of the Ancestors of Canines, humans and wolves grew up together and made a certain connection on understanding each other. Though they've proven to not be tamed animals, they were to always help guide those who are lost back to where they are suppose to go or help remind them who they once were.

And right now, Bruce had a feeling that Wolf wants him to continue reading Dick's Journal and that alone will probably give him the answer on the secrets that Dick has been hiding from him and the rest of the team and League. And so, being absolutely gentle and once the white-wolf released his sleeve, the billionaire moved Dick just enough to make room for himself on the bed and took the book from the sleeping boy. He then placed his right-hand on top of Wolf's head, as a gesture of gratitude.

"Thank you, Wolf." He said, earning a small grunt from the white-animal and then felt a couple of blankets being pulled over his legs from the white-animal pulling the blankets towards the playboy. With the experimented-animal, blankets, and Bruce keeping the sleeping thirteen year-old warm and with things settling down, Bruce opened the book to the spot where J'onn had marked and began to read it a bit out loud to himself and Wolf.

* * *

**____********__****__****__****The sun is gone and the flowers rot  
Words are spaces between us**

**____********__****__****__****And I should've been drowned in the rivers I found of token lost  
And I should've been down when you made me insecure**

* * *

**Saturday: May 6, 2005  
**_I didn't head back to bed, nor did I feel anymore tired than I was before gaining that call... I'm also no longer at the Manor, for I had changed into some day-clothes and ran through the cold night. Before I was to head towards the hospital later today, there was something that was telling me to go to the Gotham Zoo. It was about the robins I drew, and my mind went into the thought about that robin I saw two days ago and that made me wonder why I drew it and a little robin injured. It was most likely a stupid idea on running back to the city, especially when I'm barefooted and didn't bother putting shoes on, but I didn't wanted to make anymore noises to wake Bruce or Alfred up. I could feel cuts forming in my feet, my muscles aching from doing the same procedure, the wind slapping me with its rain, and trying to frighten me with its thunder and lightning, but I wasn't going back to the Manor like a wolf with my tail between my legs._

_After avoiding cars, crossing streetlights, and taking short breaks while walking, I finally made it to the Gotham Zoo in an hour and twenty-three minutes. However, the place is closed and the only lights that were on were the lamp lights outside of the front gates, a couple inside the animals' dens or cages, and the lamps acting like pillars to show hidden paths. I was beginning to doubt that my drawing and my uncle's... Passing were going to have any connection to the robin at the zoo, at first. However, even from the sounds of cars rushing and the rain continued to pour down with lightning strike, I heard a couple of birds screeching and chirping. That sound didn't mean good news at all, since I've been to many places on Earth and have studied a bit on birds behaviors._

_The last time I ever heard that cry, it was when the circus and I were performing in Florida in January. While my family and I went out shopping, I heard two cries of seagulls screeching and it didn't sound friendly to me. They were in the air, one of them having a fish held in its beak, and the other swooping in and trying to steal the fish. If the first seagull didn't have that fish in its mouth, I would've thought they were just fighting to see who was the best flyer or the strongest seagull in Florida. Anyway, the first seagull was starting to carry scratch-marks on its from the second seagull from it using its talons, and I believe the second seagull had cut the first seagull's right-eye since it has that eye closed and a scar over it. In the end, the second seagull eventually gave up when the first seagull refused to let go of its catch, and flew off towards the sea to get his own. The first seagull, however, had lost its eye for not fighting back or giving up his food. Luckily, his left-eye isn't injured and should be able to see just fine with that eye once it gets used to it or until his right-eye actually recovers if it wasn't too damaged._

_The screeching continued on, and I knew that whoever are fighting are going to get seriously hurt. Before I climbed up and over the fence, I did a quick look around and found no guards or security cameras guarding the place. Boy, security at the Gotham Zoo really sucks and I don't think they're the only ones who doesn't have great security. Once I was on the ground inside the zoo, I quickly ran down the light paths and made a beeline towards the Bird House. As I was running, the sounds of the other zoo animals let me know that not all of them are asleep and are also disturbed by the birds screeching._

_The moment I reached the Bird House, I heard a couple of banging sounds being made from whatever was hitting the walls and I also saw the lights of the Bird House being turned on instead of turned off for the night flyers to enjoy and the day flyers to sleep until sunrise. Then without warning, I heard a crash and saw some of the lights being immediately turned off and slowly started to flash. I ran inside and when I was within the Bird House, I froze: It was a red-hawk and an adult robin fighting in the air, and below them is a tree. It was the the exact tree that I saw the little robin in, and the little bird was still in that tree._

_More than half of the birds decided to stay out of the way and stay safe in their trees, while the rest seems to be trying to help the adult robin fight off the red-hawk and make it stop attacking for whatever reason it wanted to fight. The hawk then swatted the robin with its left-wing, sending the smaller bird to hit the hard-wall concrete, and then flew towards the tree that the little robin was in. Its talons, with some of its covered in blood, were held out and look ready to tear the small bird apart. However, just when the sharp claws could even touch another feather, something black and quick swooped down from the same tree the little robin was in and smacked the red-hawk hard in the head. While the red-hawk searched for whatever that hit it, the little robin tried to spread its small-wings and fly away, but its wings were badly scratched and the right-wing appears to be broken since its been held in a crooked angle and some of the feathers were either bent or teared off. When it launched itself out of the branch and tried to fly, it let out a small screech of pain and started to fall towards the hard-ground._

_I immediately ran towards the fallen bird, avoiding tree branches and hopping on some of the bigger and stronger branches to increase my paste. Then, knowing that I only have one-shot, I held out both of my hands after launching myself once more in the air... I caught the bird, held it towards my chest to protect it from anymore further injuries, and rolled safely on the ground. Many of the birds, either by air or in the trees, stared down at me when they witnessed my rescue on saving the little robin. I pulled my hands away from my chest to stare down at the little bird, and saw it was alright. Its little light-blue eyes stared up back at me, as if surprised to see me in the middle of the night and not when people came to see them during the day. Despite that, it closed its eyes and rubbed its head against my chest, as if thanking me for saving it and feeling actually safe from the red-hawk. And speaking of the red-hawk, it seems to be still searching for whatever had hit it on the head. When it finally gave up and seems to have finally calmed down for whatever reason, it flew towards one of those wooden boxes with the doors that should be able to open and close automatically, which it isn't for some reason, and it didn't came out from the darkness of the box._

_When I thought that the worse has finally ended, I was wrong when I saw some of the birds circling around something on the floor next to the wall and hearing a very low chirp... I knew it was the adult robin, and quickly took the little robin towards the injured bird who I believe must be its parent. As we neared the low chirp, the little robin in my hands began to chirp anxiously and tried to leave my hold on it._

_When some of the birds saw us approach and backed away from the injured robin, I was certain that my heart has ceased to beat and my breath became nothing but heavy weights of gravity: There the adult American Robin lays, wings spread, scars and cuts covering its body from head to toe, and blood circling around its body. It was in the same position that I drew my robin as, and the scar wounds matched every detail I had placed on my drawing. I then bent down an inch away from him and lowered both my hands to the floor, allowing the little robin to hop out of my hold and to slowly limp its way towards the injured robin, who I knew was going to die. I didn't bring anything for injuries, and even if I did, there would still be a chance that the adult bird will die from blood loss._

_The little bird, who was now standing next to the adult robin's head, turned its own head towards me and gave me the biggest plead in its blue-eyes. I only turned my gaze away from the bird. It was staring at me, giving me the look that reminded me of... Well, me. Another little bird, another broken wing bird, who had suffered from losing somebody close and will continue on suffering from the day of witnessing that loved one's death._

_**"Îmi pare rău...**_(I'm so sorry...)_**" **I told the bird, letting a tear stream down my face. It seems that the robin understood what I mean, along with the others birds, because the little bird then turned back to the adult robin, who was still slowly breathing, and placed its small-head underneath the bigger bird's. After being in that position for seven minutes, the adult robin finally passed away and the little robin reluctantly pulled away from the bird when it knew the adult robin is D... Dead. I now feel like I can't say that word anymore, for it now sends shiver down my spine and cause my heart to ache. The only close word I can say that tells somebody has Di... Well, are 'passed on' or 'deceased'._

_I didn't know how long I stayed there, along with the rest of the birds and night flyers, for I soon saw the sky starting to light up a bit through the black-clouds and knew that somebody who works for the Gotham Zoo will be here soon. I also needed to leave and head towards the hospital, knowing that Dr. Marcus is keeping my uncle's body ready for me to see him one last time. I slowly bent down one knee and slowly stroke the little robin's body, being as gently as I could so I don't cause anymore pain to it._

_**"La revedere, Puțin**** Robin.**_(Goodbye, Little Robin.)**_" _**_My words seem to have struck my heart without warning, but I quickly brushed it off and quietly left the Bird House. It was still pretty dark and there was nobody in sight, which gave me the perfect time to head back to the entrance and get out the same way I got in.__  
_

_Hours later, after waiting in an alleyway and actually falling asleep for six hours, I tiredly made my way towards the hospital, which was four blocks away where I slept at, which was next to a bakery. The rain numb my skin, and got rid of any dirt that was on me while sleeping in the alley. Once I reached the entrance, I saw Dr. Marcus waiting outside and gave me a sad smile when he saw me. He must've had a feeling that I would be coming here sooner than my other visits to the hospital._

**_"Hello, Richard." _**_He greeted, placing a hand around my shoulder and to my right-arm when I approached him. He then stared down at my feet, noticing a small trail of my blood being left behind. **"You forgot to bring shoes with you?" **I knew he was trying to cheer me up, but it was pretty obvious to him that all I want right now is to see my Uncle Rick. **"We left him in his room," **he said to me. **"I know it'll mean a lot to the both of you to be together one last time before we have to cremate him, like your..." **Yeah, he was doing a terrible job on trying to cheer me up, but I did nothing to stop him from trying and allowed him to keep leading me to my uncle's room. **"Would you like a blanket, Richard?" **I only shook my head. He already knows how wet I am, but I guess he didn't think I would be this cold when his hand made contact of my bare arm. **"Can I at least get you a towel to dry off?"**_

_I didn't want anything at the moment; all I wanted is to be with my uncle. However, I did nodded my head, knowing that he was only asking for my well being and I could tell he didn't like the sight of my blood being left on the floor. He'll most likely want to bandage them once I'm all dried up, and will probably be calling Bruce to tell him that I'm here and not at the Manor. I didn't really care. __Once we were in front of my uncle's room, I couldn't hear the sound of the heart monitor beeping or signaling a flat-line, which I'm glad to not be hearing. The machine that gives him air was also off, and I guess Dr. Marcus had some of the other doctors take those two machines out of Uncle Rick's room._

_He then gently patted me on the back. __**"Go on inside; I'll be back with the towel... I'll also have to call Mr. Wayne and tell him that you're here." **Yep, my hunch was correct, as usual. I only nodded my head, and felt his presence leaving me down the hall we came down from._

_I don't know why I was just standing there, and yet I felt this strange barrier-like feeling keeping me from opening the door and to be inside Uncle Rick's room. I feel like a complete fool, an idiot! Here I am, barefooted and soaked in a hospital, and I'm just standing in front of my uncle's hospital room when I should be inside with him... But I guess, while I stood outside of his room, I didn't want to believe what the doctor told me or see the evidence in that room. I just couldn't stand to see him completely lifeless again with my family, especially when he should've been taken cared of by the doctors who promised to help him get better and wake up. But I knew Dr. Marcus and the rest of the doctors did everything they could to help him, and I know in my heart that Uncle Rick knew as well, even when he was asleep the hold time. _

_I suddenly felt something soft and a little warmth being placed over my shoulders, indicating that Dr. Marcus has returned and placed the towel on me. I didn't know how long I've been standing there, but my legs felt stiff and my feet were sore from walking and running on hard material of concrete and cement. I then felt a gentle pat through the towel._

_**"He's waiting, Richard." **He whispered to me, as he kept one hand on my right while reaching for the doorknob with his left. The handle went all the way down from the force and pressure he put to the doorknob, and then he slowly pushed the door open. The room was dark, and it was besides it was still early in the morning, the light switch are off, or that the clouds our covering the sky. I swallowed over the lump that had lodged itself in my throat, as Dr. Marcus gently pushed me into the room with him. I thought I would be smelling the reek of death inside the room, but all I could smell and only smell in the room was the scent of disinfection. Despite the machines gone, the room has been left exactly like I've seen it yesterday... except for the bed, which has the cover pulled over a figure on the bed, which was most likely my uncle.  
_

_Without the help of Dr. Marcus to push me, I slowly stride towards the bed. The towel over my shoulders' like a cape and has absorbed the rain off my skin, but had done little to give me warmth or to absorb the rest of the waters soaked through my clothes. Once I was at the head of the bed, I stared down at the face being covered by the white-sheets. At that moment, it was only me and my Uncle Rick, and Dr. Marcus and those who may enter the room are no longer here. keeping a hold of the ends of the towel with my right-hand, I used my left to move towards the sheets. Even from the slightest touch of the fabric made me want to pull away and runaway from this nightmare. I restrained myself from even thinking on doing that, and then clench my hand on the fabric. I then heard scribblings sounds, but I don't know where it was coming from and I could care less while I wondered if I should pull the sheet or leave it be. I didn't wanted to see my uncle's frozen-face, and yet I didn't wanted to see him covered. Besides, I wanted to see for myself if he truly did die peacefully._

_It wasn't that I didn't trust Dr. Marcus, or that I believe he just lied to me in order to make me feel better... I never gotten the chance to see my parents or relatives' faces when they died, because I was crying and my tears made my vision blurry that day. I never gotten the chance to see if they passed on peacefully, but I somehow think that they didn't pass on peacefully. However, because it all went by so fast, I think they didn't feel any pain before they hit the ground. And Dr. Marcus told me that Uncle Rick passed on peacefully, and doctors don't keep secrets to their patients or the patients' family, no matter what._

_Before I knew it, my hand slowly and gently pulled the sheet back and was finally able to see my uncle's face... He didn't look to be in pain and his mouth was left a bit open, as if he's still trying to breath and is actually asleep still. I smiled sadly at my uncle, happy that the doctor didn't lie to me but upset that I've been lying to myself and was pretending that he wasn't d... I let go of the sheet in my hand and placed it on his head, slowly stroking the familiar raven-black hair like my father, cousin, and my own. My throat felt heavy, making it very hard for me to either breath or to give me the moment to speak to him. __Tears formed in my eyes, as I slowly pushed my uncle's body to make some room for me on the hospital bed. I'm very small for my age and I don't take up that much space or room, which I'm very grateful for. I curled myself beside his cold-form, laying my head on his right-shoulder and placing my right-hand over his very still chest. He makes me feel cold to the touch, but I didn't care and was actually used to the cold feelings or feeling cold._

_I soon heard footsteps and felt a hand being placed on my shoulder, getting me to slightly turn my head to see Dr. Marcus standing beside me and the clipboard being held in his left._

_**"I'll go see if Mr. Wayne has arrived," **he told me. I was soon alone with my uncle once I heard the door opening and closing when the doctor went out, and being alone is just what I want and needed right now. I then recalled something that Mr. Haly had told me when telling a story to me and my cousin about my great-grandfather, who was my mother's grandfather and the one who ran away to the Haly's Circus._

_It was something that he told my mother before he passed away, and that was when I was two years old. _He told my mother, right before he died, _**"Dacă voi muri, voi aminti mereu de mine?**_(If I die, will you always remember me?)_**" **My mother told me, while we were about to go to sleep one night, that when her time of passing was to come, she wants me to answer her honestly, so that she will know that I will know her love for me will always be within me, even if she's no longer there._

_And so, I slowly nodded my head against my uncle. **"Da... Voi...**_(Yes... I will...)_**" **I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I were finally answering the question to my mom or was recalling her words and was telling that to Uncle Rick. Either way, I didn't care and just wanted to sleep. And so, after being beside my uncle for however long I was with him, I finally feel the drowsiness kicking in._

_As sleep was pulling me in, I faintly heard the sound of footsteps coming from outside of the door. I guess it was Dr. Marcus and Bruce, or Alfred, since Bruce could've most likely have work today. Oh well, I don't blame him for having to work. Besides, it wasn't like Uncle Rick and I are actually his family and he's only keeping me until somebody decides to adopt me... And yet, I don't really want to leave him or Alfred. I don't know why myself, but there's something about them that makes me feel safe and I can actually be free to be myself instead of having to hide in a room or inside of myself and be afraid all the time. __I now feel too tired to continue writing in my journal, and I'm hearing the footsteps coming closer._

_And so, as I end the writing of today, I lean towards my uncle and gave him a final kiss on the forehead. __**"Te iubesc...**_(I love you...)_**" **__I whispered to him, and then allowed one tear to fall from my right-eye and let it glide down to my uncle's cheek. To me, it almost look as though he was the one who made that tear, even with his eyes closed. I could actually imagine him clearly upset on leaving me here, with no Haly's Circus to watch over me or to help raise me the acrobat I am. I now lay my head back on his shoulder, and finally allow sleep to take me over._

* * *

Bruce slowly closed his eyes after reading the last sentence of that day, feeling his heart banging against his chest in pain. Wolf, though he couldn't read, could sense and hear the sadness the billionaire held within him from his voice when he was reading the journal. The white-animal then turned his gaze to the sleeping thirteen year-old and laid his head back on Dick's lap, where he gently nuzzled the boy's right-hand. While Wolf went into comforting the unconscious boy, Bruce was simply lost in thought._  
_

_'Why have I not been there for him? Why didn't I told him myself, instead of having him to hear the news from the hospital?... And hearing it through the phone!...' _He then clench his left-hand into a fist, as if trying to control the rage and fire inside of his heart. Once he was able to remain calm, he continued on reading, after gently pulling Dick closer to him.

* * *

**____********__****__****__****So break me down, if it makes you feel right  
And hate me now, if it keeps you all right**

**____********__****__****__****You can't break me down, if it takes all your might  
'Cause I am so much more than meets the eye **

* * *

**Wednesday: May 10, 2005  
**_It's been four days since I last seen my uncle's body, and it's been three days since his funeral came. Time seems to be going fast and it seems to be increasing its paced, as I laid in bed inside my room. It's been so long since I seen the sun, but now I don't care if I'll ever see its shining orb or feel its warmth presence spreading throughout the sky again... I just don't care anymore, don't care about anything at all._

_Right after his funeral and instead of heading back to the Manor with Alfred and Bruce, I stayed at the Cemetery with my deceased family. It was raining, actually pouring down very hard, but I gave it no acknowledgement and simply laid against my father's tombstone. When nighttime finally came and with the sky still crying heavily, Alfred returned and easily collected me back to the limo to take me back to Wayne Manor. I must've been light for him to pick me up, but then again, I've always been light for a very long time. After helping me get change into some warmer and dryer clothes, which are basically my pajamas, Alfred helped me to my bedroom and got me to bed before leaving me in the stormy-dark. I didn't go to sleep immediately after he left, despite my eyes feeling a bit heavy, I actually got out of bed and ran towards the window. I then opened the right-side of the window, allowing the wind and some of the rains to enter my room, and then took a chance to jump out of my room. Luckily, I was able to stop myself from falling towards the ground by grabbing for a tree-branch from a tree underneath my bedroom-window, and soon landed lightly onto the wet grass._

_I've been doing that for three days straight: Silently leaving the Manor by day or night and heading back to the Cemetery, where my deceased family are all gathered and laid to rest. By day, I had to quietly leave the house by leaving out the front-door or the back-door. By night, I simply jump out of my window and don't have to worry about Bruce or Alfred to check up on me. However, every time I stay at the Cemetery, either one of them or even both of them will come by and take me back to the Manor._

_I must be worrying them, for I have been refusing to eat and they could tell I'm not getting enough sleep on finding me sleeping against one of my family's tombstone or deathbed grass. I'm also sick again, from staying in the pouring rain with no raincoat to keep me warm and only wearing a T-Shirt and sweatpants. I didn't bother on putting any shoes on, for I'm more comfortable on being barefoot and feeling the earth from my touch. Back when I lived in the circus, I only wear shoes when performing, practicing, or when out of the circus and in public. Even if my feet were to go numb and were get cold feet or may never feel with them anymore, I would still go barefooted and feel the wind, grass, and earth than wearing something to block out my connection with Mother Earth._

_I know Bruce understands how it feels to lose your family right in front of you, but I just feel more alone than I ever felt. I guess it's because Bruce didn't actually lose all of his family, for having Alfred there for him and having the butler raise him as his own. While I had to lose my family, and be taken away from my circus family in an instant. I practically lost everything, and Bruce still has everything left behind from his parents... I'm actually jealous of him and some times wished that he was in my shoes, but I don't truly want that to happen to him. That makes me sound both selfish, and a real cold hearted person. Besides, he does make donation and is trying to help Gotham be a better place to live because of his generosity. I, on the other hand, believe that I'm becoming more of a burden and a mistake. However, it'll soon be a matter of time before I'm to leave or perhaps pass on and rejoin my family in the Afterlife. For now, I'll just have to wait and see what happens in the future for me._

* * *

Though it may didn't sound like a suicide attempt, it still horrified Bruce from the information.

_'Even back then, he still thought of death...' _He then tried to focus on the next part of the journal.

* * *

**____********__****__****__****And I'm the one you can never trust  
'Cause wounds are ways to review us**

**____********__****__****__****And yet I could've tried and devoted my life to both of us  
But what a waste of my time when the world we had was yours**

* * *

**Saturday: May 20,** **2005**  
_I've completely cut myself off from the world outside of the Manor, including Bruce and Alfred. I don't smile anymore, my dreams are filled with nightmares of my family's death, I rarely came out of my room, and the only time I would get out of bed is to use my bathroom to empty whatever is left inside of my stomach. I kept my bedroom door locked, letting both Alfred and Bruce know that I want to be alone. At times I would hear them knocking on my door, asking or some times begging for me to come out. I simply shut out their voices, and kept my gaze at the window and see what the outside world is playing, whether by day or night. I barely eaten anything and the last time I ate, which was three days ago, Alfred and Bruce held me down to the floor and force-fed me when I came out to get a cup instead of having to lean over the sink to get some water from my bathroom sink. I hardly talked, for I've locked my voice box. My sickness was doing its job, a very good job on what it does best: Making me warm and cold at the same time, forcing food or water out of my stomach, and making it very difficult on walking or to even lift my head off the pillow. It seems that death will soon take me, and will allow me to rejoin my family... However, today has prove to me that I had a role to complete until my death could come._

_It was around five in the afternoon, which means Alfred will be making dinner and Bruce is most likely working. I'm guessing they're going through their usual routine before I came along, which I hope made it very easy for them to do. Just as I pulled the covers over my head to get more trouble sleep, the doorbell echo throughout the house. I let out a small-groan, as I pulled myself out of my bed and stumbled my way towards the window. Down below, I saw a police-car, and to what I can see on the car, it seems to belong to Lieutenant Gordon. I haven't heard from him lately, and I guess it was because of trying to catch the bad guys or solve a cases that will be impossible to solve until Batman comes and helps out. I then heard two sets of footsteps coming up, causing me to think that Bruce has called Lieutenant Gordon to take me away... I was scared, and deeply upset from that thought. However, I pushed that feeling behind and slowly made my way back to the bed. The set of feet soon stopped at my door, and I then waited for the knocking and voices to come, only for me to simply ignore. Instead of waiting for the sounds of knocking, all I heard was two set of people breathing against the door and was then replaced by the footsteps leaving my bedroom door. That quickly caught my attention and curiosity, making me wondering why they simply paused outside my door and why the Detective is here. Before I could stop and remind myself of mom and dad telling me to never listen in on people's private conversation, I made my way towards my door. I unlocked the door, quietly opened it, and slowly made my way to where I believe they're in Bruce's Study. The door was left mostly closed but a crack big enough to cover me and let me see the two talking._

_**"I dropped by to let you know you might not have to keep the boy much longer." **That was Lieutenant Gordon.  
_

_**"Oh?" **From the sound of Bruce's voice, he was clearly confused. I was also confused; I thought he would immediately be relieve and anxious for me to pack my stuff and get out of his house.  
_

_**"We've just started putting these up, and already we got a few bites." **I was clearly confused on who they were talking about, until the Detective seem to have answered my curiosity. **"Zucco's been spotted on the lower East side." **__My eyes widen in shock from the name of the man who took away my family and life._ _**"Off the record, we hear he's trying to skip town."**__  
_

_**"How soon?" **Bruce asked, making me wondering as well._

_**"Could be tonight. Cause this Batman got Zucco real spooked. Zucco's friends too. Nobody will touch the guy." **____Sounds like Tony Zucco is being turned away from his allies, which was sort of a mixture of a surprise but something that I had a feeling would happen if it's Batman that's hunting you down. __I then heard footsteps in the room, but the sound of footsteps weren't coming anywhere close to the door I was hiding behind._

_**"And if Zucco gets away?"**______  
_

_**"Hmm, we could lose him for good." **I didn't like what Lieutenant Gordon just said. If Zucco does get out of here scot free, then my families death will never be avenged. I felt rage building up inside of me, making me much warmer with the help of my sickness. However, I simply ignored my sick feeling, and quickly made my way back to my room before either one of them or Alfred finds me out of my room._

_Once I was back inside my bedroom and quickly re-locked my door, I immediately made my way towards my dresser before getting to my knees and pulled out the bottom third-drawer. My third-drawer held personal stuff besides some of my clothes when I lived in the circus. I quickly pulled it out, holding it out in front of me: It was the costume I worn that night when they fell, which was also a costume my mother had made for me for Halloween last year. Surprisingly, I haven't grown an inch or two and I can still wear my old-clothes when I was six years old. It was a red-Tunic with black-short sleeves, black-tights with black-shoes that comes with the tights, and a yellow-'R' on the left-topside of my tunic surrounded by a black-circle. It seems that Alfred had washed my costume, for it was still covered in my family's blood when I was packing to leave the circus. I reached in for something else in my drawer and pulled out a domino-mask and a black-cape with a yellow-underbelly, which both used to belong to my cousin when he dressed up for Halloween as a mysterious masked-rider when he was around my age._

_Four years ago, we used to have a bareback-rider and a couple of Anglo-Arabians traveling with us. However, she and her horses had to go back to her homeland, California, and move back with her parents in Santa Rosa after her youngest horse nearly broken its ankle and almost had to be put down because the horse jumped at the wrong time over the poles. Though we miss Maggie and her special four Anglo-Arabians: Tucker, Hudson, Vilano and Sienna, we were happy and glad to have her and her horses to come along and join our travels. We also heard that two years ago, she and her horses are doing well and that she gotten married and now have thirteen horses to train with. Turns out her husband also trains with horses, with a few cows and bulls for rodeos, and our both very happy with their lives and are going to be teaching their two year-old son and their three month-old daughter how to take care of them. If only Maggie and her horses had stayed with us until Halloween was over, then John would've became as a mysterious masked-rider on one of her horses instead of a mysterious lone-riderless horseman._

_I then changed out of my pajamas, put on my costume, and wore a white-sweater and skinny blue-jeans over my suit. I then placed the domino-mask in my left-pants pocket, and quickly grabbed for a couple of more item out of my drawer. Right before I went to my family's funeral, I was able to find a newspaper that held a picture of Zucco on it and quickly cut it out to hide it inside my suitcase. I also grabbed for my bag of marbles, my cousin's slingshot, and some wires that I would use whenever I would miss grabbing for my parents and need to stop myself from falling. I placed all the items inside the pockets of my costume, the marbles and wires in my left, and the slingshot in my left. I knew they may come in handy, especially Zucco's picture, for I'll be needing it in case nobody clearly knows what he looks like if I just only ask about his name._

_I waited until I could Lieutenant Gordon finally left and when it was dark, for if Alfred and Bruce catch me sneaking out through the window, they won't be able to see me in the dark. Luckily for me, I eat a lot of carrots back at the circus and strengthen my eyesights to see things in the dark. It was now nine in the evening and that was the perfect timing for me, for Alfred would send me to bed at that time and both he and Bruce will probably think I'll be sleeping. Instead of hopping down towards the tree-branch like I usually do, I went to the left-side of the window and swung towards the roof. I began to realize that my landing has been causing a couple of feet-markings to appear to the ground and the grass was very wet that it could make a sound of splashing. However, near the front of the driveway, was another tree with no puddle that would give me off and both Alfred and Bruce's room are at the right-side of the house, which makes it the perfect spot for me to secretly leave without getting caught. Once I was finally at the front of the house and saw the tree down below, I took a deep breath and flung myself down. Even in my sick-state, I was still able to grab onto the branch and swing myself down to the ground. When I was finally on the ground, I turned to gaze at the Manor one last time. To me, it'll probably be the last time I'll ever see the place once I get Tony Zucco and turn him to the police, I'll be living on my own in Gotham. Though it would be wise for me to take my things, I don't want to lose any of my stuff and I know both Alfred and Bruce will keep them safe. And so, with my mind made up and once I put on a brown-hat to hide who I am to the citizens of Gotham, I made a run down the street. It was hard for me to run straight, for me being sick and not having anything to eat for a while, my stubbornness was able to help me keep moving forward and to continue on my way towards the direction of Gotham._

_I'm very lucky that the bus had came by and that Wayne Manor was very close to one of their stops, which was the Gotham Cemetery. Because not only was I able to get some rest and let my feet take a break from running, but I was also able to get to the Eastside of Gotham in just twenty-minutes. Once the bus pulled up next to the curve, I slowly got out of my seat and made my way out of the bus._

**_"You sure you want to get off here?" _**_The bus-driver asked, looking and sounding very worried for me, for the Eastside of Gotham is not only where a lot of homeless people live, but it's also where dangerous criminals like to hide and harm people. Though I thought I would never have to use my voice, I knew I'll have to answer him._

**_"Yeah," _**_I said. Once I was off, I quickly took out the picture of Zucco from my pants-pocket. **"Hey, ever pick up this guy?" **The bus-driver's blue-eyes stared at the picture, until he shook his head._

**_"Can't say as I have," _**_he answered. I sigh in disappointment, and put the picture back into my pocket. **"Who is he? Your old-man or something?" **I almost wanted to vomit or even yell at the man for ever thinking that I would be related to that sick bastard, who took everything away from me. However, I held in my anger and chose to lie. I know that my folks wouldn't want me to lie or to even swear, but it seems that Gotham has a way for turning nice children into a trouble-maker._

**_"Yeah, something..." _**_Was all I told him, and then decided to leave the bus and not waste anymore of the driver's time. The bus soon left its stop, and I was soon inside a grocery store._

_For five hours I've been walking from store to store and people to people non-stop, and asking them if they seen Tony Zucco. However, each answer was always the same: 'No', 'Haven't seen him', or 'Never heard of this man'. I even went to places that I would think Zucco would hang out, that includes the adult places like _**Fat Paulies Pool Hall**_ and _**Old Buck's Bar**_. I'm just lucky that those drunk at the bar decided to drink away and leave me alone. I'm even lucky that the bar-tender didn't kick me out and gave me some water after answering my question if he seen Tony Zucco. The pool house, though, I thought I was going to suffocate inside the building because of the smell of cigarette and tobacco lingering in the air. However, just like in the bar, the owner of the place kindly answered my question and didn't kick me out of the place._

_I was beginning to lose hope, as I kept on pushing forward to find another person or shop that I haven't been to for any word of Zucco. The wind blew at me from behind, as if helping me to keep moving forward. I pulled my sweater closer to my face and placed both hands in my pocket, with my left keeping a firm grip on Tony Zucco's picture._

_I grew tired, and for the first time, hungry. My feet were killing me, and it almost felt like they were going to bleed if they kept on walking on imaginary nails. I then stopped, and noticed a person walking towards me, wearing a dark-grey trench coat and a dark-grey hat to match the coat. Instead of going up and asking the person, I simply kept my head down and walk passed him, with him doing the same. Right then I was about to knock on a rundown apartment, I suddenly heard a high-pitch wind coming in._

_The man I passed by gasped in shock and then he began to run. I then noticed other people, mostly those wearing trench coats, were also running from the sound coming from above and hiding in the buildings or in the alleys. Those who hid in the buildings immediately turned off their lights, as if trying to hide themselves from a monster and hoping it'll leave them alone. The only lights left were the street-lights... And, a moving light coming from the sky, as if looking for something, or **someone.**_

_Feeling the need to hide, I quickly ran towards a building that had an awning, and was glad that the moving light passed by. When the was light no longer around this area, the people finally came out of hiding and the lights inside the buildings came back on. I let my head out from the shadows of the awning, and saw the moving light was coming from a bat-like jet... Which most likely belongs to Batman._

_After brushing off the passing of Batman, I continued on my way further into the lower East Side of Gotham. I ended up at at a hotel, with a sign on the light-pole from above. It said,_ **'MABARY'S ROOM and BOARD $5.00 A DAY'**. _I was just about to go inside, when I heard voices from the right-side of the building._

_**"Who do you think taught you how to grift, Chi-Chi?" **The voice sounded very mad, and that voice alone got me away from the hotel-door towards the alley, where I saw two shadows standing at the other end of the building. **"You don't go skimming money from me!"**_

_**"But-But I ain't, Lennie. Honest." **The second voice, who I believe is to be Chi-Chi, tried to reason with the first voice, who was now known as Lennie. From the sound of her voice, it was clear to me that she's scared of the man._

_**"Oh, yeah? We'll just see about that." **Before Chi-Chi could react, that man quickly snatched her purse from her left-arm.  
_

_**"No! Wait!" **Chi-Chi cried, trying to get back her purse from Lennie, who pulled open the material and digging in for whatever he could find. He then held up a wad of cash, with a fifty held out in front of the bill from where I could see. My eyes widen in shock when I saw the money, knowing that she was in big trouble. **"Lennie, look-look. I-I can explain." **She was more scared than before and was slowly backing away from the man.  
_

_**"We're beyond explanations," **was all the man said. He then grabbed for her right-arm and was pulling her towards the back of the hotel. I soon gone from shock to anger, feeling the rage boiling up inside of me, as I watch the man trying to force the woman into following him. Mom and Aunt Karla told me to never talk to strangers, but my dad, Uncle Rick and Cousin John told me if I see anything that is wrong, I go and get help. However, I knew that if I did get the police, it'll be too late for Chi-Chi and Lennie could get away at any moment. Knowing very well what I must do and despite me in my ill condition, I quickly came in.  
_

_**"Leave her alone," **I told him. Lennie finally stopped pulling on Chi-Chi and turned to where I am, where I slowly came out of the shadows.  
_

_**"This kid belong to you?" **He asked Chi-Chi, who was struggling on freeing herself from Lennie's grip on her wrist.  
_

_**"Let go of me!" **She cried, as his grip tightened even more on her wrist. My rage went even higher and finally got me to snap.  
_

_**"I said leave her alone!" **I yelled and kicked the man in the shin, causing him to let go of Chi-Chi and to now grab for his right-leg I just kicked. He was now hopping on his left and was going backwards, while I took a step towards him. Once his leg has most likely recovered, he let go of it and slowly made his way towards me.  
_

_**"You little creep!" **He yelled. **"When I get my hands on you..." **I slowly backed up against another building, with two trashcans behind me and a fire-escape ladder above me.  
_

_**"Get away, kid. Jump!" **Chi-Chi cried, worried on what Lennie would do to me. At the moment she told me to jump, I launched myself in the air and grabbed for the ladder. At the same time, Lennie jump towards me, but ended up crashing into a couple of trashcans. I looked down from the ladders and watch the man gathering himself off the ground. In an instant, I went up the first floor of the ledge, while Lennie grabbed for the ladder and climbed towards me. I simply backed away from him, with both of my hands grabbing for the next ladder above me, as he pulled himself over the bars to get on the same floor that I'm on. I could hear Chi-Chi gasping when Lennie advanced towards me, which means she doesn't know that I have a way to get rid of him. Before he could grab me, I lifted myself up and kicked him with both of my feet, sort of like a kangaroo would do when fighting against a predator or with another kangaroo. He then fell backwards and went flying down towards a dumpster. The lid closed down after his body went crashing down to the bottom and Lennie was now trapped inside, not being able to get himself out of the dumpster. I then climbed myself down. __**"Come on!" **Chi-Chi called out from below me, who looked very relived that Lennie won't be able to get her now he's trapped inside the green dumpster. I gently floated down next to her, though I did lost my balance from my sickness, but quickly straightened myself. I then held her left-hand and we both walked away from the alley, leaving Lennie and his cries behind us._

_**"Hey! Hey, let me out!" **We heard him call out from the inside of the garbage can and was already starting to scream like a frightened child. **"There's roaches in here! Roaches!" **We both simply ignored his cry, knowing that the garbage-man will take him to the dump once it arrives or somebody will get him out and perhaps take him to the police station.  
_

_To show her thanks and gratitude, Chi-Chi took me to the _**Time-Out Café**_ and treat me to some food. I had a small-steak and water, which I actually wolfed-down in seven minutes flat. Chi-Chi laughed at me attacking my food, as she drank some of her coffee and had some chocolate-pie._

_**"So when was the last you ate, kid? Christmas?" **She joked, as I finished the rest of my meat and washed it down with the rest of my water. I wiped whatever food that laid on my face with the sleeve of my sweater.  
_

_**"Sorry, but I'm kinda in a rush." **I told her.  
_

_**"Hey, you can't expect to find this uncle of yours at this hour." **She told me. I actually lied to her about Zucco being my uncle, since I grew tired of people asking me constantly all the time if he was my old-man or relative of mine. She pointed at the picture of Tony Zucco, that I left on the table. **"This is the only place around that's still open. Right, Berty?" **Our waitress came by and refilled Chi-Chi's coffee.  
_

_**"Mm-Hmm," **she answered. Before she left to head back to the counter, she stopped. **"Hey! I know that deadbeat!" **She said, laying a hand on the picture to get a better look at the picture. I gasped in shock, for I have finally found somebody who knows and had seen the murderer.  
_

_**"You do?!" **I asked quickly, hoping that I didn't mistaken what she just told me.  
_

_**"Yeah. He's been here." **She explained, who clearly dislikes him. **"Always barking orders, never tipping. Heh! I seen him come from that building across the basin." **She pointed towards an old warehouse across the waters through the window.  
_

_**"That place has been condemned for years, right?" **Chi-Chi asked, as Berty turned to leave.  
_

_**"Yeah, and may it fall on his head, that louse!" **I actually like Berty, because she dislikes him and doesn't even know what he does or what he did. I quickly put the picture into my pocket. I then quickly got to my feet.  
_

_**"Anyway, thanks for the meal." **I told Chi-Chi, as I head towards the exit of the __Café. She look clearly worried on me leaving on my own._  


___**"Wait, are you sure you'll be alright?" **She asked, who must've noticed my flushed cheeks and the way I was having trouble standing up straight without having to hold onto something to keep me up. I simply gave her the best smile I could muster.  
_

___**"I'll be fine," **I told her. **"I took care of that jerk for you, didn't I?" **She smiled at my words, and nodded her head. I stood there for a few minutes, with my smile still held on my face. **"Hope to see you again, Chi-Chi... Someday." **And with that said, I went out the door. Once I was as far away from the __Café, I took off into a the fastest sprint I could go. My head was killing me from the headache, and yet it was full of thoughts and memories of Zucco threatening protection money from Mr. Haly and what he did when he didn't get his money. My heart was full of hope, but it was also full of rage and determination. ____**'Mamă, Tată**__**, mătușa Karla, unchiule Rick, John... Eu voi răzbuna moartea dvs, și să-l plătească pentru a lua voi toți departe de mine și de familia noastră circ!**_(Mom, Dad, Aunt Karla, Uncle Rick, John... I will avenge your deaths, and make him pay for taking you all away from me and our circus family!)_**'**_

_It took me twenty-minutes to get to the abandon building and three minutes to change out of civilians clothing to now show my old-costume, with the cape and domino-mask as an extra touch. I hid my civilians clothing underneath a car, which looks like it can still work. I quickly placed all the items I brought with me into my costume's pocket, except for the picture of Tony Zucco, and then left the car to guard my clothes. As I made my way closer to the building, I noticed to my left the waters behind the fences made of old-pipe, which look as though they could actually break if somebody were to put too much pressure on them. Now I could see why Berty hope that the building would fall on Zucco's head, because there was a bunch of cracks and holes in the walls, that it seems the building could collapse at any moment if somebody were to add anymore holes to it. I'm just surprise that their lights from inside still works, while their streetlights are bended and broken._

_I soon heard the sound of wood breaking and furniture being destroyed. I turned to my right, where an alley and some light coming out of a window with wood boards covering the inside of the room caught my sight. The noise of furniture and wood breaking continued on, as I quickly and yet quietly made my way towards the window. Because of my small-height, I had to use a couple of crates to help me up. Once I could see inside the building, my eyes widen and my breath quickly froze inside of my lungs... For I saw Tony Zucco, tossing a couple of his shirts on the bed and yanking a drawer box from the drawer and dumping more of his stuff into his briefcase. He then tossed the drawer box at the wall, causing it to break, and turned back to the drawer to grab more of his stuff. I then turned to my gaze to the left, and saw a gun that looks to be an AK-47, leaning against the wall._

_I don't know much about the kinds of guns, but both Pete and Connie did tell me about them when I asked how they seem to be great aimers when throwing knifes at each other. It turns out the main reason why they ran away and joined the Haly's Circus was because of their father being so cruel and abusive to them and their mother did nothing about it and was barely around to even notice. According to them, their father was a gunner and their mother was a lawyer. When they both became eleven years old and when they heard that the Haly's Circus came to town, that's when they took their chances and took whatever they could take with them before sneaking out on a Fall night and joining the circus before they finished packing up all their stuffs. Since they actually got their perfect aiming from their father and decided to try out on becoming knife throwers, they became so good that they could actually throw knifes at each other or aim at each other while running and jumping or even when blindfolded and throwing behind their backs._

_I know every well on how dangerous guns are, but I didn't seem to care if he would try and shoot me and it's all thanks to my rage and sickness from making me think clearer. I placed my right-hand in my right-pocket of my costume and slowly pulled out my pocketknife, which I had kept inside for good-luck whenever I preform with my folks... It was a gift from my cousin, who gave it to me when I just turned eight. I flick the small-blade open, staring down at my tired and unwell reflection._

_**'Moartea ta va fi răzbunată, familia mea... Promit...**_(Your death shall be avenged, my family... I promise...)_**' **I thought to myself, as I flip the blade back inside the pocketknife and put it back inside my pocket._ **'Ei bine, e acum ori niciodată...**(Well, it's now or never...)_**' **Before I decided to make my appearance noticed, I needed a distraction or something to gain Zucco's attention. So, I grabbed for my slingshot and reached for one marble from my marble-bag, which was a small light-blue, and loaded the small pebble into the sling. **'Se termină aici în seara asta, Zucco**__**.**_(It ends here tonight, Zucco.)_**' **I then released the marble from underneath the top wood covering the inside of the room, causing the window to shatter. I aimed the marble towards the light hanging on the roof, which destroyed the light bulb and caused a bunch of sparks to spray down on top of Zucco. Some of his clothes were starting to smoke and the cover of the blanket looks ready to be on fire, but Zucco quickly caught the sight and just slammed his now closed briefcase onto the covers. Smoke began to form on his briefcase, but he was able to stop the fire from starting. Once the sparks were no longer visible and has turned off the light switch to stop anymore sparks from coming out, that's when I decided to head into the building from the front door. I then slammed the door, allowing the man to hear that there's now somebody else inside the building with him._

_**"Great, now what?!" **He yelled, as I heard the footsteps from above moving towards the direction of the staircase. It was a good thing he didn't turn anymore lights on, or he may have seen me moved and perhaps hiding behind an old-couch. **"Alright, who's there?!" **He yelled, as I heard something that makes me think of soldiers on movies preparing themselves to shoot their guns. His footsteps grew louder, which means he's in the living-room with me and is out for blood. **"I swear that whoever is in here, better come out before I blast you to Hell!" **I grew angry at his words, and allowed my anger to take control. So, I quickly pulled out another marble and aimed it at his head. The red-ball hit him in the forehead, and caused him to shoot at the chair on his right. **"Where the hell are you?!" **Again, I aimed a marble at him, only I quickly rolled away from my spot and hid myself behind the chimney. He must've heard my steps, because he aimed the gun at the couch I was just hiding behind and had some of the bullets scratching against the brick of the chimney. **"I'll give you to the count of three to come on out, before I come over there and blow you off the face of the bloody Earth!" **Instead of just one marble, I put in five marbles into the sling. **"One!" **He yelled, as his steps slowly made their way towards the chimney. **"Two!" **The sound of his gun preparing to shoot made me prepare myself to release the marbles at him. **"Thr-" **Before he could completely say three, I quickly jumped out of my spot and released my marbles. Hoping that one or two of them would get into the hole of the gun and stop it from firing, I quickly shifted my body and ran towards the direction of a wood-covered window._

_I heard him yell and bunch of more cursing, but I kept on going and didn't bother to turn back, because I heard and felt a hard ***Thump!* **from behind. I'm positive that he must've tripped on some of my marbles when one or two of them hit him at the forehead. **"You're going to pay, runt!" **Right when I leap towards the window and shielded my face with my arms, I actually heard the first bullet or two that came from his AK-47 before I went crashing throw the window and wood. I then curled myself into a ball when I neared the alleyway ground, and then ran off before Zucco could try and shoot me much clearer. **"Get back here, you Creep!" **As I ran as fast as I could, my sickness was starting to fight back my rage and adrenaline, and I was already slower because of my sickness winning the fight.  
_

_**'No, not now!' **I thought to myself, as my vision began to go a bit blurry and being covered by dark-colored spots. The sound of bullets caught my hearing, and I could've sworn that I felt some of them almost cutting into my costume and limbs.  
_

_**"Why bother trying to escape? You know you can't keep running away forever!" **His voice was getting closer, and my strength was already reaching its limits. I was now losing my balance and had to keep leaning against the wall to keep myself steady, but I struggle to keep on running. I was only able to make it to the phone-booth when I tried to get out of the alleyway, until I felt something fast and burning digging itself into my left-leg. The sudden pressure caused me to fall to the ground on my left-leg, and the unbearable pain coming from my leg coursed itself throughout my entire body. Trying to fight the urge to scream, I bit down on my lip, hard. Because of that, I bitten through and caused blood to appear. Now with a new wound to add and when I couldn't fight it any longer, I screamed, which more sounded like a dog wailing at the night. I curled myself into a ball, grabbing for my leg and putting pressure where I found the bullet-wound from the small-hole on my costume, right at the Fibula area._

_The sound of heavy footsteps caught my hearing and before I could react, a foot suddenly kicked me right at my back. The sudden pressure and movement caused me to roll and hit myself at one of the phone-booths, where I hit the back of my head against the glass and forming a couple of cracks to form on the glass. I lifted the upper-half of my body with my hands, struggling to get to a kneeling position with my right while my left was protesting on moving by aching and pulsing the pain throughout my body._

_I turned my gaze towards Zucco, who stood above me and with the AK-47 pointed at me. **"Alright, runt, party's over." **He told me, glaring back at me. **"Take off the mask; I wanna see who decided to pull a stunt like that on me before I blow your guts out." **I didn't listen to him, for I simply glared at him and allowed the blood from my lip to glide down my chin and to fall onto the floor. When he saw that I wasn't going to do as he said, he raised the gun in the air and whacked me with the n__ozzle of the gun. My head was forced to turn on the left from the force and pressure of the gun, making me collapse on my left-arm to its elbow and having my right to keep me up. **"Now!" **He yelled, who appears to be losing his temper by the seconds._

___I slowly turned my direction back at him, having the right-side of my face to be decorated by my blood from the gun causing a painful scratch to appear near the temple. I knew it would be best to listen, and so, despite the rage building up again and yet in my weak-state, I slowly raised my left to my mask and gently peeled the domino-mask off of my face._

___Now with my eyes revealed to the murderer of my family and though I could see him perfectly fine with the mask on, it was clear that Zucco was completely startled to see my face. **"Well, if it ain't the Circus Boy?" **He said, pulling the gun away and tossing it to the side carelessly. While tossing the gun away, I placed my mask into my right-pocket with my pocketknife. **"My little material witness..." **He then chuckled, as he got down on his right-knee and grabbed me by the collar of my uniform and pulled me off of my hands. I slightly winced from the movement of my legs and when he now stood up to his height when he grabbed me, but I fought back that pain. **"What are you doing here?" **He asked, though it was pretty obvious that he knows why I'm here. Nevertheless, I answered his question._  


___**"I'm here to make you pay, Zucco." **I whispered, as my hands clench into fists. My words seem to have surprised him, for I guess he thought that I could only speak in Romanian and not English. But the shock quickly left him, and he snickered at my answer.  
_

___**"You're here to make me pay," **he repeated my words. **"And just how were you going to stop me? All you have is your ridiculous costume, marbles as ammo, a slingshot to shoot..." **He then dug his hand into my right-pocket, with me trying to pull out of, and then saw him bring out my pocketknife. He then smirked at the sight of the red-oak pocketknife. **"Well, who would've though you had it in you to actually try and kill me?" **He then flipped the knife open, staring at the small-blade in satisfaction. **"It's man-made, and yet appears to be strong enough to be used for carving... Or better yet, it could be used for better things..." **He then flipped the blade towards me. **"Like skinning, or even killing."** I stared at the knife in fear, as I tried to get myself out of the grip of his left-hand. **"I was just about to run out of town because of you..." **His smile soon vanished, to then be replaced with a frown. **"Looks like I'm going to have a change in traveling, once I'm done with you." **He then guided my pocketknife towards me, aiming to where I believe is my neck._

___In a quick act on instinct and fear, I grabbed for his left-hand and leaned forward, where I bit his wrist as hard as I could. That action work, because he then screamed and let go of the collar of my uniform and my pocketknife. I then quickly let go of him and fell to the ground, wincing a bit from landing on my right-thigh, but quickly recovered from it and grabbed for my pocketknife. Right when he tried to grab for me, I lunged at him and got him to lay on his back and me crouch on top of him. Before he could make a move to grab for the AK-47, I placed the blade at his neck clench my left-hand at the collar of his shirt.  
_

___**"Don't. Move," **I told him. As if to make a point, I made a small-cut to appear on the left-side of his throat. However, I didn't draw out any blood from his flesh. Knowing that I will end his life, Zucco pulled his hand away from the gun and make things a bit easier for the both of us. **"Tell me... Why did you do it? Why did you kill them? They did nothing to you!" **I already knew why he did it, but I want him to tell me himself. He simply laughed at my question, causing me to push the blade onto the cut and causing a few drops of blood to come out.  
_

___**"It's quiet simply, really: I wanted to prove a point to that old-man on what happens when those who don't pay, ends up paying the price for their mistakes. And when I saw the poster of you and that happy family of yours, 'The Flying Graysons', I decided to have the old-man lose his most prized stars in the circus." **My rage seems to have double, and that was when I forced his head off the ground and then slammed it back to the hard pavement of the ground.  
_

___**"And for that, you took away my family?!" **I yelled, and then I let go of his shirt to simply punch him in the face. Though in my weak condition, I was able to cause a bruise to form on his right-cheek and get him to bite at the side of his cheek. **"You made me lose everything I once had!" **I then pulled him back up, so that he could see the fire and anger burning within my eyes. **"You made me lose everything!... You made me lose my life!" **I then shoved him back to the ground, and then tightened both my grip on his shirt and my pocketknife. **"And now that I have you, I'm going to make you pay!" **Before I could ready myself to pull across his skin, something black and yet sharp came out of nowhere and made me let go of my pocketknife. I yelled in pain and forced myself to let go of Zucco to grab for my hand that has a couple of scratches and blood gliding down my skin._

___I then heard another pair of footsteps coming out from the darkness, gaining both mine and Zucco's attention. Tony's eyes widen in shock, while my rage made me glare at who just intervened into my fight: It was the Protector of Gotham, the Dark Knight himself... Batman. I turned my gaze to the right, seeing a boomerang that was in a shape of a bat with sharp edges, recognizing it as the black-figure that made me drop my pocketknife._

___I quickly grabbed for my pocketknife and closed the blade back inside, putting it into my right-pocket, while keeping my eyes on the Dark Knight who slowly made his way towards us. **"What are you doing?" **I asked, feeling my hate coming at the Dark Knight for not being there when he should've stopped Zucco when he came to the circus or when he was plotting on taking my family away. His gaze, hidden under the cowl and the white-lenses, simply narrowed a bit at me but seems to be glaring mostly at Zucco underneath me._

___**"You don't want to do this, boy." **He told me, his voice rough and sounding as if it should give me nightmares. However, I wasn't fazed or scared from the tone of his voice and it seems to me that it only fueled my rage for the man being held underneath me._

___**"Do what? Something that you failed to do?" **I asked, as I slowly got off of Zucco and stood in front of him, to keep him away from Batman.  
_

___**"I mean trying to seek revenge, and taking it out on him." **He answered. I almost snickered at his words, but my hate prevented me from doing so.  
_

___**"Why? Don't I have the right to get justice, and punish the man who took away everything I had?!" **I then turned to Zucco, who was trying to back away from me but stop from the metal-fence preventing him from going any further and falling into the waters.  
_

___**"You do, but not by killing." **He honestly thought that I was going to kill that bastard, when I know perfectly well of the consequences of killing and taking a life? Geez, and he was suppose to be the World's Greatest Detective. However, I decided to play along.  
_

___**"And you came to take him away, when this is something I need to do?" **He didn't say anything at all, which got me to continue. **"You know, this wouldn't had happen if you had been there when they fell or when he came to finish what he started." **I was now going to take out my anger on him, because he was the one who should've stopped him and he failed to do that. **"So it wasn't just Zucco who ruined my life, but you also made my life a living hell!" **I then pointed a finger at him. **"Because of you, I now have no one left on this Earth! I've been force to stay behind, be taken to a Detention Center when the Orphanage refused to take me in, had to live with a stranger and a butler who's gone most of the time, and I just found out that my uncle passed away!" **Tears were already streaming down my face, but I just kept going. **"You don't understand what I had to go through: This pain, the helplessness, the unbearable feeling that I'll never see my family again and will soon die alone!" **My teeth and hands clench into fists, with both my tears and my blood gliding off of my skin and landing on either my costume or the ground from down below. My left-leg was trembling from having the bullet still inside and having weight be put on it, but I simply ignored its request to remove some of the weight off of it. **"Why do you care if what I do may cost me my freedom and sanity? Or better yet, why should you bother on caring what would happen to me or if Zucco actually tries to kill me?!" **Before I could see it coming, Batman came over to me and then grabbed me by the collar of my costume, just like Zucco just did. Only his grip was much tougher, and seems to not have any problem on holding me in the air. I curled my legs close to my chest, just like a pup would do when its parents would pick it up by the scruff of its neck, and grabbed at his wrist with both of my hands to keep me from being strangled from being hung in the air._

___I thought he was going to toss me like Zucco just did to me earlier, but his grip felt like they weren't going to let me go, no matter how much I should struggle or if I were to bite him. His gloves, instead of feeling rubber or tough-cloth like other cloths would feel, his felt much harder and tougher. I could also feel his fingers causing small holes to come through the fabric of my costume, making me realize the tips of his fingers have claw-like nails to the gloves and the edges of his arms appear to be much more sharp than razorblades._

___It felt like an eternity since I've been held up high in the air, but has actually been two minutes and that's when he finally and slowly put me back to the ground. This time, I put most of my weight on my right, just until my left-leg could hold what little weight it could hold to keep me standing.  
_

___**"Do you ever wonder why I became who I am right now?" **He asked me, but it sounded in bit of a softer tone. **"Do you ever wonder why I became 'The Night' itself, or why I stop crooks like him?" **He then pointed a finger at Zucco, who got into a sitting position and was leaning against the fence-bars. I simply have no answer to his question, for I have no idea to why he became Batman in the first place. **"You know, we have something in common than you think." **Now his words confuses me even more, and that alone caused a headache to form. **"And you should know, that you're not truly alone. Bruce Wayne seems to care an awful lot about you, and so does Alfred." **I simply shook my head at his words.  
_

___**"They don't really care about me," **I told him. **"They only pity me and because Bruce simply feels sorry for me, even though he knows how it feels to lose those close to you. Besides, he'll soon be glad that I'll be leaving once Zucco is taken to Justice or when he leaves Gotham."**  
_

___**"How right you are, Brat." **Batman and I turned our gaze towards the direction of Zucco, who was standing and has a handgun in his hand. His smile was half a smile and half a frown, which makes him look between being mad and being happy at the same time. **"Once I'm rid of you and the Bats, I'll soon be a free man and can finally put this all behind me." **Instead of aiming the gun at me, he was aiming it at Batman. **"I think I'll start with you, for having my uncle banning me from the family and having the police gaining on my tail." **My eyes widen when he placed his finger at the trigger and seeing the fire burning in his cold-grey eyes. I know Batman can defend himself and could most likely dodge , but those thoughts alone didn't convince me enough... For before I could stop myself and despite risking on having my leg getting infecting or having the bullet digging further into my muscle and bones, I ran after him. Zucco saw me running at him, but he didn't have enough time to get a good aim at me when I leap in the air. However, he was able to pull the trigger and have him shoot at the left-side of my stomach. I felt at least a rib or two cracking or breaking from the force of the bullet, but I simply ignored it and had two of my hands grabbing for his neck. Zucco fell backwards from my weight, causing him to fall against the fence that gave away from our combined weight, and we were soon in the rushing waters. I couldn't hear Batman's voice when we went under, and yet I could almost make out that he was calling out my name._

___The moment we went under, I thought we just fell into a river of knives. That's all I felt instead of water: Hundreds, maybe thousands, of knives stabbing me with their sharp blades and are trying to either dig out whatever air I have in my lungs or are ripping me into shreds of meat to feed the sharks. Zucco struggled within my hold, trying to yank my hands off of his neck and to swim to the surface. However, I simply tightened my grip gave him a good kick in the stomach with my right. He let loose a bunch of air bubbles from his mouth, and was now desperate on trying to get air. He was already getting weaker in my grasp, the grip of his hands slowly releasing my writs and his legs kicking less often. I would've wanted to kill him, but there was no way that I would become a murderer like him. And so, I pulled him up to the surface when he seems to be turning a bit blue and got him to the surface to breath. Because of the water, I could actually pull his weight much more easier and could still move around with just one leg. Unfortunately, though it should've been good news to me, he's now unconscious and won't be able to hold his own. And what's worse, the water was taking us to a waterfall underneath a bridge and there was probably a chance that we may hit our heads once we reach the bottom and could die from lack of oxygen while unconscious if we face down into the water and not on our backs._

___I had no choice but to have him be placed on my back, while I quickly grabbed for the wires and wrap his hands around my neck. Luckily for me, I still have a lot more of the wire and then tied the end of the wire around my pocketknife after I opened it. I knew either this shot or my second shot if I miss may be able to save us, or else we'll be sleeping with the fishes if I missed two of our chances. As the waters pulled us closer to the bridge and towards the roaring of the falls, I quickly twirled my pocketknife in fast-circles above my head._

___**'Mamă, tată, mătușa Karla, unchiule Rick, John... Te rog, ajută-mă să fac...**_(Mom, Dad, Aunt Karla, Uncle Rick, John... Please, help me make it...)_**' **I prayed to my family, hoping that their wisdom would help me save both mine and Zucco's life. Right before we went under the bridge, that's when I immediately threw my pocketknife towards the bridge. As it went higher, the wires held in my hands slid from my fingers. As the lines kept going, I tried to pull Zucco and I towards one of the stone-pillars of the bridge. I made an immediate grab for the center-pillar, hoping that I could hang on until my pocketknife could snag whatever it could grab for from above. **'Te rog, apuca ceva!...**_(Please, grab something!...)_**' **However, even from down below, I saw it clash against the concrete-walls and falling back down to the waters. I quickly caught my pocketknife with my right, while my left struggles to keep us in place and hold off against the rushing waters._

_However, the water kept on splashing me in the face and my hand, causing my grip to slowly slip. My nails were soon leaving scratch-marks onto the cement, which soon dug into my skins and drawing out blood. It was very difficult on doing four things at once: Keeping Zucco on my back, winding the line and pocketknife in my right, keeping my left-hand onto the pillar, and keeping our heads above the waters. My hand was losing its grip onto the pillar and before I could try and pull us up, the water splashed me and my hand at the same time and made me let go of pillar. Swimming against the current was out of the question and seems impossible to do when having an adult on my back and having an illness taking away more than half of my strength._

_However, that didn't stop me from once again swinging my pocketknife in the air._ _**'Aceasta este ultima mea șansă, așa că am face mai bine acest număr.**_(This is my last chance, so I better make this count.)_**' **The roars of the falls caught my hearing, which was a warning that I'm reaching the end of the line. And so, as I felt the waters getting stronger and feeling it pulling us down, I leaned back a bit and with all of my strength, tossed the line up. I felt gravity pulling both me and Zucco down, even as I struggled to stay up until my pocketknife could grab something. Sadly, I had to use only one arm to keep me up, as I kept my right-hand up to allow the line to unravel itself from me to go out and grab something._

_When I couldn't continue on fighting and with Zucco's body pulling me down with the water, I had to cease fighting and allow both gravity and water to pull us down. Even when I had stopped fighting, I still kept my arm up and putting my faith into my pocketknife that it'll save us. Water then splashed into my face, causing me to bang heads with Zucco and make my vision and focus blurry. The good news, Zucco is now too knocked out to wake up anytime soon. The bad news, now it'll probably be hard for me to pull us both up whether or not my pocketknife clings to something to hold us up. Right when I thought we might as well fall to our faiths, the line around my hands tightened and stopped both me and Zucco from falling. I looked up, and saw that my pocketknife has snagged itself between two concrete-polls from above the bridge._

_I sighed in relief, smiled tiredly that my prayer has been answered. **"****Mulțumesc...**_(Thank you...)_**" **I whispered, thanking those from above, especially god and my family, for sparing us. However, I knew weren't out of the woods, or out of the waters, yet and knew the hardest part has finally came. So, I swung my left until it grabbed for the line and began to pull ourselves up. It was very hard to pull ourselves up, especially with Zucco's heavy weight trying to pull us back down and my hands slipping because of the water spraying at us. It was getting harder for me to pull us up, and it nearly took all of my strength to stay awake from having my head bang with Zucco's. I was losing my grip onto the line, and it was clear to me that the waters was winning. Even if I could pull us out, either the line would snap from the heavy weight or my pocketknife will most likely break from our combined weight.____  
_

_I was thinking on quitting and letting go, knowing that Zucco may have a chance to get out of here once he wakes up or when help comes. And hey, they would most likely recognize him and call the police or maybe it would be the cops that would rescue him and take him to the station. And if Zucco manages to pull himself out of this mess, he'll most likely get caught and get turned in anyway. Either way, he'll be put behind bars and my family's death shall be avenge... And hey, it'll be all because of me. I smiled from the thought on how I avenged their deaths on my own, and was now hoping that I would soon be joining them once I let go. Tears formed in my eyes, but they weren't of sadness. No, they were of joy._

_**"Am făcut-o**_(I did it)_**," **I whispered. **"L-am prins, în cele din urmă am prins.**_(I caught him, I finally caught him.)_**" **My fingers began to slip and my head began to slide out of the hold of Zucco's bound hands. **"Ești mândru de mine, familia mea?**_(Are you proud of me, my family?)_**" **I know that they'll be a bit mad that I went after a madman and acted like I wanted to kill him in front of Batman, but I have a feeling that they are indeed proud of me for capturing this man when the police has given up on finding._

_That made me very proud of myself, and yet I'm very sad when my mind went to Alfred and Bruce. **"Îmi pare rău, Bruce și Alfred.**_(I'm sorry, Bruce and Alfred.)_**" **I whispered, lowering my gaze to the raging waters inches away from me and Zucco. **"Dacă aș avea o șansă, aș spune atât că îmi pare rău pentru că nu-ți spun cât de mult amândoi m-ai fi ajutat.**_(If I had a chance, I would tell you both that I'm sorry for not telling you both how much you had helped me.)_**"**_

_I then felt my left hand letting go of the line, which left me dangling on the line with my right and I didn't bother on trying to raise my left to once again grab for the line. **"Aș vrea să-ți spun cât de rău îmi pare pentru a pleca, în special fără a spune **__**la revedere pentru a vă amândoi.**_(I wish I could tell you how sorry I am for leaving, especially without saying good-bye to you both.)_**" **Then I felt one of my fingers slip off the line. **"Dacă aș putea să vă spun, sau chiar să vă amândoi știm, cât de mult vreau să-i mulțumesc pe amândoi.**_(If only I could tell you, or even let you both know, how much I want to thank you both.)_**"**_

_Another finger slipped off. **"Deși nu am trăit în Manor pentru foarte mult timp si, desi am putea părăsi cel mai probabil atunci când Zucco a fost de a fi prins sau de a părăsi Gotham, amandoi au deja a devenit casa mea.**_(Though I haven't lived in the Manor for very long and though I may most likely leave when Zucco was to get caught or leave Gotham, you both had already became my home.)_**" **It was already getting harder for me to stay awake now, and the rest of my fingers were getting ready to let go. **"Și hei, nu va trebui să vă faceți griji despre mine, Bruce. Eu voi fi în curând plecat, și atât tu cât și Alfred poți trăi viața așa cum a fost înainte am venit.**_(And hey, you won't have to worry about me anymore, Bruce. I'll soon be gone, and both you and Alfred can live your life as it was before I came.)_**"**_

_My tears fell into the roaring water, now becoming my own death sentencing once I let go. **"Dacă fac pieri și va reintra familia mea în Rai, mă duc să găsesc părinții tăi și spune-le totul despre tine și cât de mult te mai dor de ei.**_(If I do perish and rejoin my family in Heaven, I'll go find your parents and tell them all about you and how much you still miss them.)_**" **My vision soon gotten blurry, and I soon felt my fingers slowly letting go their hold on the line. Everything began to go into slow-motion, but I didn't seem to care at the moment. I simply smiled sadly at the dark sky, as the water engulfed me into its rapids and once again administering its knife-like cold to me. **"Nu știu de ce, dar amândoi au devenit o parte din familia mea. Și pentru asta, trebuie să dor de tine foarte mult, atât atunci când eu nu trec pe la această viață.**_(I don't know why, but you both had become a part of my family. And for that, I shall miss you both dearly when I do pass on from this life.)_**"**_

_I didn't bother on closing my eyes when I went under, because they were already closing from the lack of sight I was having for them. Once again, gravity pulled me down and I have nothing to pull or keep me up. The moment I felt the water leaving my face, that was the moment I decided to deliver my final words and messages to those I had known, even if they won't hear them themselves. **"Și acum, la prieteni am făcut și pentru familia mea, am ajuns să cunosc și iubesc, spun la revedere mea și să vă lăsați tot iubirea am pentru voi toți...**_(And now, to the friends I had made and to my family I have come to know and love, I say my good-bye and leave you all the love I have for all of you...)_**" **And after I had spoken the last of my words, I finally stopped fighting for consciousness and allowed the darkness to bring me into a now peaceful emptiness, knowing and yet hoping that I will pass on without feeling myself drowning. Though my death won't be like my family, at least I'll be falling to my death like they have experienced._

_By the time I opened my eyes, I was surprised on what I see. I really thought that I would be seeing white and maybe was suppose to be laying on a cloud, but I wasn't. Instead, I found myself laying in a bed with a pillow placed underneath my head and couple of warm blankets piled on top of me. They weren't suffocating me, and weren't too thick at all. However, my body and limbs felt like lead and it was hard for me to move around without feeling the need to vomit. I was so cold, and yet I was so warm at the same time, and I wanted to stay within the covers for a long time. I thought I was in Heaven, but even I know that in Heaven I shouldn't feel any pain or sickness at all. Which comes to a conclusion that I'm still very much alive. Even in my tired-state, I still wonder what has happened and where I am right now. Even with my eyes open, it was still a bit hard for me to see because the room was completely pitch black and my vision still need to recover. However, my hearing picked up sounds somewhere near the bed I laid in, which sounded like voices._

_**"Will he be alright, Leslie?"**  
_

_**"He will, as long as you both keep him warm and get some food into his stomach."**_

_**"We've been trying to get him to eat for the last couple of days, Leslie, but the boy simply refuses to eat anything that we offered that we had to even force-feed him nearly four days ago."**_

_**"Well, if he doesn't eat anything or wakes up by the end of the day, you'll have to insert an IV into him and keep him on bed rest until he's well enough to stand up on his own. And once he wakes up, you have to get him to eat."**_

_**"Right, thank you, Leslie."**_

_**"Just doing my job, Bruce. But, please, I ask of you to keep a better eye on the boy. Be glad that you swung by and caught him when you were Batman, otherwise he would've most likely died or could've actually killed Zucco."**_

_I was completely startled from the news that I heard from the adults and if it weren't for my voice being as dry as a desert, I may had scream or even said a word that would've warned the adults that I'm sort of awake... And I'm completely shocked, startled, and literally speechless from the information I just gained when never would've guessed he was the Dark Knight himself. But, then again, it would explain all the times he would be gone without a trace and why he and Alfred would vanish without having any of their vehicles gone..._

_I can't believe on how stupid I was on not knowing, or putting two and two together, when I would see Batman on the news while Bruce would be gone at the exact time and during the time when crime would come to the city! I feel like a complete fool! An idiot!... An imbecile... A weakling... A pretender, and a fake... I can't believe that I didn't realize he was the Batman, the World's Greatest Detective, the Dark Knight, the **Night **itself... The man who should've been the Dark Knight when Zucco came to finish what he started and save my family, not as the billionaire playboy to watch the performance without knowing of the gang leader and drug dealer would take away nearly six lives in one night... I now completely hate myself, for thinking that Bruce and Alfred would actually want me in their family!... They don't seem to have time for a child in their lives, especially with a playboy who lives a double life as a billionaire and a vigilante. I'll only be in the way, just like I was tonight. Heck, I should've listened to my guts from the very start that he isn't like the citizens of Gotham or like anybody back in my circus family... He's an Outsider, the shadow himself. I am also an Outsider, but only for being a Romanian Circus Acrobat, which would also make me an Outcast. And apparently, Outsiders don't mix with normals or any other standers from others' status. They also don't mix with other Outsiders or Outcasts, which proves on how completely different we are from each other._

_I now feel completely so lost and confused, that I now don't want to be near around Bruce or Alfred anymore... In fact, I don't think I want to be around with anyone in Gotham anymore, for it proves to me that I can't truly trust anyone and that I should trust nobody at all. I soon heard the sound of footsteps coming my way, which made me shiver in fear on what's Bruce and this person, who I believe is called 'Leslie', are going to do with me... But why? Why should I care, or even bother on wondering what they would do to me? I obviously deserve what's coming to me, especially that I now know who the Dark Knight really is and where he lives. Hopefully, if they decide to dispose of me, then it would be quick and easy._

_However, the moment one of them laid a hand on me and felt me shaking to have the hand be pulled back, that person didn't pull me out of bed or didn't get mad at my sudden shaking. Instead, the hand simply went to my back and begin to gently stroke my spine underneath my skin, as if to comfort and reassure me that I was safe and that everything was going to be alright._

_**"I'll come by and visit later on today, Bruce. I'm going to need some rest after working at the clinic and you'll need your rest after another night of crime fighting... Only, this time, you seem to have also rescued a little crime fighter."**_

_I then heard a deep chuckle, which most likely belongs to Bruce and from the feeling and the size of the hand still rubbing my back, it was also him._

_**"It seems that Gotham will soon have another crime-fighter protecting her and her people by not just the Batman, but it seems she'll also be protected by this Little Bird."**  
_

_Little Bird, huh? The name makes me think when my mother would call me her 'Little Robin', and it seems that my nickname will been changed from 'Little Robin' into 'Little Bird'... I actually like the new nickname, though I doubt it'll last once I have to leave Wayne Manor and the GCPS, the Gotham Child Protective Services, will find me a family who will foster or adopt me... And, to be honest, it was quite fun catching Zucco and being a silent hero of the city for one night. I felt sleep pulling me back, and with Bruce still stroking my back like a cat and the warmth of the blankets, was helping it win and I didn't bother to fight back... I still feel insecure and uncomfortable with Bruce with me, but maybe someday I'll once again trust him and allow him back into my heart... When I can forgive him for not rescuing my family from death and for keeping his second life a secret from me, even though he has to keep the Batman a secret from crooks._

* * *

_'And not only was Tony Zucco taken into Justice, but a young hero has been born...' _Bruce then turned to Dick, who hasn't made any movement or sound, besides him breathing and the rising of his chest with each breath he took. _'And from that day on, Robin came into our lives and you became part of my dark-world ever since.' _He then sat the book down on his lap and place his right-hand on Dick's back, while having the left to stroke the boy's head. _'I should've told you about my secret life sooner. I should've told you the moment I gotten information to where Zucco was at... But I didn't, and simply made you go astray.' _He then bent down and placed a kiss on the boy's forehead, before he pulled the child's body on top of his lap and having both of his arms to circle around him. "I'm so sorry, Dickie." He whispered, placing his chin on top of the boy's ebony-hair. They stayed like that for a good while now, with Wolf slowly crawling to where Dick just laid and placing his head on top of the boy's legs, as the billionaire continued to hold his precious cargo until he reached for the journal and turned it to the next part of the next chapter.

* * *

**____********__****__****__****So break me down, if it makes you feel right! ****____********__****__****__****(So break me down)**  
And hate me now, if it keeps you all right! **____********__****__****__****(So break me down)**

**____********__****__****__****You can't break me down, if it takes all your might  
'Cause I am so much more than all your lies**

* * *

**Tuesday: June 20, 2006  
**_It's been a whole month since the whole Tony Zucco incident, and I've grown distance from Bruce and Alfred since then. During the first two weeks, my fever has finally broke. Within another week of rest, all of my wounds had finally recovered. However, I'm afraid not all of the wounds are forever erased off of my skin, mind, or heart._

_For my skin, it held a couple of markings that the bullets implanted on me, especially the one that entered my leg. My mind has decided to keep the memory of Tony Zucco trying to get rid of me by shooting me and has been playing that memory throughout my dreams thoughts for a while now. And my heart... Well, it now feels wounded and I could've sworn that somebody just slammed it hard with a hammer to make it feel so shattered._

_The moment I was able to move around and my hearth was finally perfect, I immediately went into hiding from Bruce and Alfred. __In mornings, around three to six in the morning, I would head towards the staircase and launch myself into hiding up in the chandelier. Though I have gained some weight back into my body, I'm still very light for anyone over the age of seven to pick me up with no problem at all. I'm so light, that the chandelier didn't make much of a squeak when I landed in its hangers. I would curl myself into a ball and hang onto the chandelier, as it would gently rock itself in the air and its glass would at times gently clash against each other._

_By the time midday would come, at least around twelve, I would launch myself off the chandelier when Alfred and/or Bruce weren't around and quickly head to my room to crawl under the bed and hide within the shadows. Back at the JDC, the spaces underneath our beds were too small and cramped for anybody over the age of nine to get under. However, the space underneath my bed seems to let anyone between six to possibly seventeen year-old to get under and can actually get comfortable if someone were to take a nap._

_When six in the evening comes by, I would go out my bedroom window and stay on the roof of the Manor to watch the lights from the sun or the lights coming from behind the clouds until the sky would become pitch black and head back inside the house to sleep, which would be around nine to ten at night._

_Oddly enough, the rain has only came for at least twice a week and only stayed cloudy for most of the day. The clouds had even decided to allow the sun to come out and spread its warmth the moment the day reached its end to continue on its cycle of life passing by. Out of the whole heat spread within the house by the fireplace or the heater and the numerous blankets that Alfred and Bruce has placed on me, the sun is the only source of heat that can truly warm me and bring back hope for me of the future that will await for me._

_I'm starting to eat again, but only once or twice a day instead of the three meals a day rule. I'm also refusing to eat with Bruce and/or Alfred, and will only eat in my room. Even though it may seem harsh, my heart and soul has already been broken enough already. From them keeping the secret of Batman from me and forcing me to eat food last month, I deserve to have some privacy to enjoy eating as much as I want or can stomach it into my own._

_I've been avoiding all kinds of psychical contacts from the butler and the playboy, only getting a couple of glances of their appearances when hanging on the chandelier or when watching Bruce coming back home from work when on the rooftop. I would at times hear their voices, even from afar distance, but I mostly try and ignore their words. Even if I could hear their voices, doesn't mean that I understood what they're saying, besides that I would at times hear them say either one of my names. All I do know, is that tone of their voices told me that they're not very happy: Alfred's tone sounds as if trying to calm an angry man down, though he sounds a bit mad about something. While Bruce, to my obvious discovery, was the angry man and sounds as though he wants to hurt someone at any moment..._

_I'm afraid he plans on hurting me, for sneaking out and taking on Zucco without having anything that would protect me from his weapons. Though he doesn't seem the kind of person who would hurt anybody, especially to children. When he isn't Batman, that is. I'm not saying that he may hurt a child, especially with no reason to do so, but to only punish them or if they aren't innocent children that they claim to be... And I'm most likely one of those children._

_But, hey, I should've seen it coming. Besides, I've always been the one that many people at the JDC would go to when they want to take their angers out on me or when they want to see me breakdown like the little kid that I am to them... Well, when that time comes and once Bruce can find me, I'll take whatever he has at me and face it like a man, just like my father, uncle and cousin._

* * *

Bruce had to stop reading and put the journal down to calm his crumbling, and yet beating, heart.

_'How could he even think that I would want to hurt him, especially when I wasn't anywhere near mad for wanting to avenge his family's death?' _He then stared down at the boy laying on top of his chest, with his head nestled underneath his neck and curled up near his chest. Wolf, who seemed to have fallen asleep from Bruce's reading, lifted his head and turned his gaze towards the door. The door quickly slide open, and coming into the room from behind the door came Alfred, with a tray held in both of his hands. The sight of seeing the white-wolf and Dick laying on Bruce and the black-journal sitting on the lap of the billionaire, the butler didn't need any explanation whatsoever, as he made his way towards the bed.

"I see the three of you are getting yourselves comfortable on the Young Master's hospital-bed, Master Bruce." He stated, as he placed the tray on the small table next to Dick's bed and pulled the lid off of the tray. "I have brought you your dinner, Master Bruce, since it has been at least three days since you had eaten anything." On the tray was a rare-cooked Filet Mignon, with two medium-sized garlic-breads and a couple of fruits on the side. There was also a cup full of water sitting a few inches away from the plate of food, which was above the fork and knife that laid on a neatly folded napkin. The billionaire stared at the tray of food beside the bed he's laying in, his stomach growling and demanding for food as his eyes gazed at the precious food that Alfred has made for him. However, his gaze then turned back to the boy laying and sitting on his lap, sleeping within a coma he can't wake up in and could only get nutrients from an I.V. injected into his right-arm. Bruce then shook his head.

"Sorry, Alfred, but I won't be eating tonight." Alfred let loose a long sigh and simply shook his head in dissatisfaction of the young man rejecting his food, as he watch the billionaire lean back against the pillow and pulling the boy closer against his strong and hard figure. Nevertheless, the butler placed the lid back over the tray to prevent any bugs, insects, and other contaminated elements to get on Bruce's food.

"You may claim that you are not hungry, Master Bruce, but I'm afraid that your body does not agree with your decision." And as if to agree with the butler and help prove his point, Bruce's stomach roared in demand for food. The billionaire simply brushed it aside.

"I can't eat right now, Alfred... Not with Dick in a coma and not being able to eat, himself."

"And you think Master Dick would want you to starve yourself as a punishment, so that you may end up on the hospital bed with him?"

"I should, for all the time I had neglected and ignored him when he needed me to be there for him." He then placed his left-hand on the boy's head, keeping him close to his presence, as he moved to lie on the bed. Wolf sat up a bit to allow the billionaire to get himself into a laying position, and then went to laying on top of him and place his head on Dick's left-arm. "I'm going to get some sleep, Alfred. Can you call Sarah, and let her know that I'll be off from work for a few days?" Alfred head towards the closet of the room to grab another blanket, since Wolf is sleeping on the covers and wouldn't be able to pull the covers all the way over Bruce and the boy.

"Of course, sir." He replied, placing the blanket over the three on the bed. However, before he did that, he gently took the Journal off the bed and sat it next to the tray on the small-desk. Before Alfred prepared himself to leave the room, Bruce's words stopped him.

"And if you can, Alfred, will you read me the next part on what Dick has written in the Journal? My voice is getting tired." Alfred was completely at a loss. Though he has heard what Dick has written in his Journal by J'onn, he has never read or saw what the thirteen year-old has written within it. To him, it was best to leave other people's property and personal stuff, especially when it involves himself and his family. However, he knew that reading Dick's Journal is the right thing to do, in order to find out how to help him once he wakes up from his coma and is well enough to leave the hospital bed.

And so, as if reading a child a bedtime story in bed, Alfred pulled up the chair from the small-desk to the bed and brought up the Journal. He then opened the book to the bookmark Bruce has placed it in, cleared his throat, and began to read.

* * *

_**...Guitar Solo...**_

* * *

**Wednesday: June 28, 2006  
**_Bruce appears to be more restless as the days past by and I don't think it's because of his job as Bruce Wayne, Owner of Wayne Enterprise, nor could it be from being Batman, the Dark Knight. Not only that, he seems to be looking for something, or better yet, **someone**, like a hungry wolf scouting for its prey. I'm most likely the prey he's looking for, though I doubt he would actually eat me and he seems to be hungry for something that doesn't involves with food.__  
_

_He also appears to be worried, now making me think of a wolf searching for something it forgot and regrets on leaving it behind, almost on how a wolf would at times be forced to abandon its pup because of lack of food or can't raise it properly... If I'm that pup he regretted on rejecting and casting aside, why would he be worried when he should know where my hiding spots are and can just meet me face-to-face if he wants to talk._

_Anyway, I'm up in the chandelier and Bruce was heading towards the staircase, after having to be in the kitchen and the living room for at least ten minutes. I also saw Alfred slowly following after Bruce, who appears to be calm but from the nervous glance of his eyes alerted me that he knows where I am and will most likely tell Bruce where I am. In an act of instinct, I leaned forward over the chandelier and launched myself off of the chandelier, which caused its small diamonds to dangle and clash with each other. The sounds alone caused Bruce and Alfred to turned and watch me falling towards the ground, as I curled myself into a tight ball and doing a quadruple flip before I uncurled myself and landed on the floor with both of my feet at the same time. Pressure immediately build up within my muscles, but I simply ignored that sudden pressure of pain and quickly got to a standing position. I then turned my attention to the two adults, who simply froze from continuing on up the stairs._

_I then let loose a deep sigh and crossed my arms in front of my chest, knowing that it was time for me to say something, despite me not wanting to talk to them. _**_"Is there something you wish to speak to me about?" _**_I asked, giving Bruce and Alfred an annoyed look on my face that only comes up whenever something is wasting my time or if I get tired on waiting for something I was suppose to know to come. Bruce simply stayed put to where he stood, while Alfred immediately came towards me and did a quick check-over in case I was injured from the fall. My muscles in my legs were simply sore and aching from having to withstand that much impact and I have a feeling that my right-ankle is probably sprained, for I actually landed on my right-foot much more than my left-foot. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine. Alfred let loose a sigh of relief when he found no psychical wound on me, but his expression soon turned to a stern look._

_**"Master Richard, you mustn't launch yourself off the chandelier like that." **He scolded me, and then waved a finger at me like a teacher would do to a student who did something bad or made a mistake. He then paused his actions, as if rethinking on what he just said to me. **"On second thought, you shouldn't have been up on the chandelier in the first place." **I simply shrugged at his words.  
_

_**"Can't help it if I wanted to be high up," **I told him. **"Besides, I've been to higher places than that, along with landing from afar distance." **I then noticed Bruce coming down the stairs, and slowly making his way towards me.  
_

_**"Do you mind if we talk outside?" **I turned my gaze outside, seeing that the sun was trying to release its light through the clouds, but has simply lightened the clouds and summoned more to cover its figure. I simply shook my head and with his hand on my back, he lead us both towards the front door and down a small path in the direction of his mother's garden._

_I now only see her garden whenever I go up the rooftop, and haven't bother to go down there to pick anymore flowers or to simply marvel the varieties of plants Mrs. Wayne has grown herself. But even from afar distant and at a very high spot, I could still smell the scent of many flowers and their scent alone actually makes gazing at the sunset much more pleasant and soothing.  
_

_By the time we made it to the garden, we head towards an oak tree that was shielding the green house that held delicate plants and sat down on a bench underneath the oak tree's branches. The bench was surprisingly dry, which was probably because the many branches has shield it from the downpour of the past rains, though it sort of feels cold to the touch of my skin. I could tell that Bruce is having trouble to what he wants to say to me, though he seems to know what he wants to say. I then recalled the conversation he had with Lieutenant Gordon before I ran away to capture the murderer of my family, and that's when I thought he was going to tell me I was no longer part of the family and will soon be taken to either foster care or to the orphanage. I guess he wasn't so sure how to tell me without having to hurt my feelings, and for the fact he didn't know I was eavesdropping on their conversation._

_And so, before he could get a single word out, I decided to get it over with. __**"It's alright," **I told him. My words caught him a bit by surprise, either that I finally spoke to him or that I spoke in English instead of Romanian. Nevertheless, I continued my words. **"You don't have to say it, I already know about it." **That time, he raised an eyebrow.  
_

_**"About what?" **He asked, as if trying to act confused when he know exactly when I'm saying._

_**"Your talk with Lieutenant Gordon, about not having to have me here any longer... And, about you being Batman." **I heard rustling from above and wings flapping, which indicated that the birds heard in our conversation and must've decided to leave us in private. Bruce was no completely paralyzed from the news, and seemed to have trouble getting air into his lungs. He then turned his gaze away from me and towards the direction at the mountain behind our house, as if now having to change what he was going to tell me. I simply let loose a deep sigh from his reaction, and then decided to wrap up our conversation by standing from the spot on the bench. **"I won't blame you for wanting me to leave, especially now that I know your secret and how much of a burden I've been to you for the two months I've lived with you and now that Zucco is taken away for what he did." **I then started to make my way back to the Manor. **"I won't tell anyone about you being the Dark Knight, nor will I tell the social worker on why I'm no longer living with you." **I felt my heart being constricted from every word I just told Bruce, but I had to be brave and ignore the feeling on leaving Wayne Manor. I should've also been happy, because Zucco will no longer be able to harm anyone or take a family away from another child again, now that he's in prison for life with no chance of parole. Besides, Bruce simply agreed that he would only keep me until Zucco has been captured or if he were to leave town and become a free man. I didn't get far, for after taking thirteen steps away from the oak tree and the bench, a hand on my left-shoulder suddenly stopped me from continuing on to the Manor and pack my things. I didn't have to turn and see who it was, since Bruce and I were the only ones out and Alfred is inside cleaning the Manor.  
_

_**"Who said that I wanted you to leave when Zucco has been captured?" **I lifted my head from staring at the ground from his words, while my heart actually skipped a couple of beats from his words. I then turned my head to the left, to see the calm expression on his face but to also see worry and concern in his Navy-blue eyes. I then turned my gaze towards the Manor, not sure on how to answer him when I had thought he would want me to get out of his house and both he and Alfred could live they way life was before I came around. I then heard Bruce let out a deep sigh. **"Dick... I'm not mad of you for knowing my secret, nor am I mad of you running off to get Zucco." **His hand on my shoulder tightened. **"I was worried that something bad has happened to you the moment I found you gone, no longer in your room, and in danger within Gotham City." **__I placed my left-canine teeth to my lip, but I knew that it would eventually be a force of happen if I keep biting my lip, so I went to clenching my teeth together.__  
_

_**"I'm sorry if I made you and Alfred worried," **I told him. **"But Zucco is my responsibility, and I needed to take him down myself and take him into justice, for my family." **I then felt the hand on my shoulder move itself over my chest and pulling me back, which was towards Bruce. He then had his other arm over my right-arm and around my chest, encircling me in an embrace.  
_

_**"He wasn't just your responsibility, Dick." **I knew what he means by that, but I don't know why or how Zucco could also be his responsibility. As if he read his mind, he continued his words. **"If I had known about Zucco, if I had known he would come and ruin the show, I would've been as Batman that night and taken him to the police and made sure they kept him in a cell that he wouldn't be able to get himself out of... But I didn't, and Zucco took away your family... But most of all, your life." **I immediately knew where this was going to, and that's when I turned within his hold and wrapped my around around his neck.  
_

_**"It wasn't your fault, Bruce. None of this was your fault at all," **I replied. **"It was my fault. I should've warned my folks, but we were already on and they wouldn't hear me from the crowd if I told them while performing. I should've-" **Before I could continue my words, I felt and heard something rumbling, which makes me think of how the animals at the circus would make whenever they were mad or were getting very protective of me when it comes to strangers visiting the circus. I realized that the sound was coming from and made by Bruce. I wasn't sure if I was suppose to be afraid by his growl, or if I should feel safe.  
_

**_"This isn't your fault either, Dick." _**_I hid my smile into his dark-brown coat, his words bringing so much comfort and relief that he wasn't blaming himself anymore._

**_"So, I guess it's neither one of our faults, huh?" _**_This time, Bruce let out a chuckle, which made me feel more happy to know and hear that he's happy._

**_"I guess so," _**_he answered. Bruce then pulled back and stared down at me, which I believe he was checking to see the psychical condition I'm in to him. **"You've gain some weight back." **I blushed from his words and lowered my head to the ground, which got him to chuckle at my shy behavior. **"That's a good thing, Dick. You were losing so much weight, Alfred and I were having trouble to believe how you're still able to walk by yourself." **Now I feel very offensive, for it wasn't the first time somebody commented about my weight and for me being skinny._

**_"Well, excuse me for having to become an acrobat, because that's what we're suppose to be: Light and skinny." _**_Bruce smirked at my words._

**_"And strong, don't forget about being strong to the list." _**_I simply shook my head._

**_"I can't be strong, t_**_**he only reason to why I was able to get Zucco was because of my adrenaline, is all." **Bruce shrugged his shoulders at my explanation._

_**"It's more than from adrenaline, chum." **I was actually taken back from the new nickname he just called me. **"I'm more referring to your will and your determination, not by brute strength." **He then slowly lead me towards the direction to the Manor, with his right-arm wrapped around my shoulders and having his hand on my right-shoulder. **"You know, Dick, I've been thinking for the past weeks on what just happened with Tony Zucco... Though you nearly lost your life on capturing him and pulling the both of you out of the waters, I can see hidden talents within you. Talents so great, that I believe the City of Gotham should come to know and embrace it, either by day or night." **My heart rate increased its rate from his words, which was getting me very excited and having to know what he was going to tell me. Nevertheless, I needed to ask him to be sure I wasn't going to mistaken what he was getting at._

**_"What are you saying?" _**_Instead of just answering, he reached for something from the back of his pants pocket, stopping us at the front the garden. In his hand was what I never thought to see again: My cousin's Domino-mask he wore, which I had worn that fateful night with Zucco. It didn't seem damaged at all, and somehow new. I then took the small-mask into my right-hand, staring down at the white-lenses staring up at me._

**_"You've proven yourself strong enough to face tough opponents, along with standing up in a fight and never backing down on your goal," _**_he explained. **"Your fighting tactics may seem a bit rusty, but with good training and the right proper equipments, you'll most likely be ready within a few months. Possibly sooner, even."**_

_I now knew he really means what he's saying, and decided to cut to the chase. **"You wish for me to fight and protect Gotham with you?"**_

_**"Not just Gotham, Dick... The Earth, with me and the rest of the Justice League."**_

_When I still lived at the circus, we would at time see the heroes in their hometowns or passing by a city by flying. I also found out that they actually formed the Justice League team when I was around five or six years old, which was possibly two or three years ago._

_Yeah, I'm really shocked and a bit surprised that he would want me to fight, especially when I just left without saying a word and how I nearly gotten myself killed. He then placed his left-hand on my left-shoulder._

_**"I won't make you fight, if you don't want to. The choice is yours and yours alone, Dick." **Even from afar distance, I turned my gaze towards the woods, where it would lead to the Gotham Cemetery... To my family and Bruce's parents' graves._

_Even though I've finally avenged my family's death, I still don't feel satisfied. It's not that I wished that I had killed him, it's just that... There's something deep inside me that's crying out for freedom, and the chance to live... The chance to fight, and to protect. My body felt the need to feel the adrenaline rush when soaring through the air, and my soul is crying to fly like a bird once again. It was my heart and mind that weren't sure what to do: My mind wasn't sure if I should fight, especially when I need to be in school soon. While my heart appears confused and hurt if I were to make the wrong choice and decision, to fight and perhaps mock Batman's image on suddenly becoming a big softy or to not fight and become a complete burden to the Manor._

_The decision was really tough for me to decide, and I hardly could imagine Bruce wanting help from a kid who's only eight years old and has been raised in a circus. I was about to tell him 'I can't', until...  
_

**_*Chirp, Chirp!*_**

_I turned my head towards the direction of the chirp, which was a Robin sitting in a tree to my left... An actual wild Robin, not a caged owned bird like at the Gotham Zoo. Unlike the Robins at the zoo, that Robin has an interesting red-chest that was in a shape, almost like a birthmark, and it didn't have a white-underbelly. Its underbelly was grey, like its wings, and the red-chest area was shaped like an animal... A bird, with its wings spread to the midsection between its shoulders and neck. The Robin cocked its head to the side, staring down at me and Bruce, but seems more interested at the domino-mask held in my hand. The bird then ruffled its feathers and then spread its wings, holding out its silver-like wings as if to mimic its marking on its chest._

**_*Chirp, Chirp!... Chirp!*_**

_The bird then launched itself out of the branch, its wings being tucked against its body when it dived down, and then released its wings to lift itself up in the air. It may seem like it was leaving very quickly to Bruce, but to me, its image was going actually slow. I don't know why, but I think at that moment, that Robin was giving me the answer... And, a sign._

_**"Prihor**_(Robin)_**..." **__I whispered, now knowing exactly what I wanted, or **needed** to do. Bruce turned to me, giving me a confused look._

**_"What was that?" _**_I simply continued watching the Robin flapping its way higher into the sky, flying to wherever it pleases. I then turned my gaze to the domino-mask in my hand, and then slowly placed it back to cover my eyes._

**_"By day, I shall be known as 'Richard Grayson'... By night, I shall be known as 'Robin'." _**_And that's when I knew, that from this day on and for the rest of my life, I shall be a protector of the night. Not as a bat, though, but a robin. Because, to me, the is more than just a plain bird or a nickname that my family would call me when I perform on the trapeze... It was a sign, a sign that hope never truly dies and continues on through the eyes and hearts of every life on Earth._

* * *

Alfred ceased his reading when he heard deep breath of snoring at the bed, knowing that Bruce has fallen to sleep from the butler's reading on Dick's Journal. He let loose a deep sigh and closed the book, so that he could wipe away the small tears forming in his eyes and to get a hold on his emotions.

"And from that day on, Robin has been born and his life has been changed forever, just like Master Bruce." He then turned his attention to his two charges, one of which is sleeping to regain energy to wake up and be with his child. While the other, unfortunately, is sleeping within a deep sleep that was very possible for him to may not pull through or ever wake up again. As his two charges slept, the white-wolf kept his golden-yellow eyes on the butler, but would ever so often turned his gaze down at the boy who was both a brother and the pup of his new pack. Alfred leaned forward and placed his hand on top of Wolf's head, gently stroking the fur on top of the large animal's head. "You have been there for Master Richard when we had ignored him," he told the white wolf. "And for that, I thank you." Wolf lifted his nose to gently push the hand off of his head and gave Alfred's left-hand short and gentle licks. Once Wolf finally ceased his licking in accepting the elder's gratitude, Alfred then leaned over to his two charges and gently wrapped his arms around the both of them.

For so many years, even when Thomas and Martha were still alive, he has come to see Bruce as his own child. And when Bruce has first brought in Dick into their world, the child immediately became a grandson to the butler. When one of them were to get injured from patrol or League Mission, he would stay up all day or night in worry and hoping to see one of them to comeback safely. However, if both were to be injured, his worry would double and the thought of both of them injured would mean bad news, which would mean they faced a tough opponent that they wouldn't be able to beat. But even if he were to tell the two to get help from the Justice League or to not go back out into battle in either injuries or terrible health, they've always proven to the butler that they will rise again in victory and they would accomplished that promise by defeating that opponent who has last beaten them. This time, however, isn't the cause from a powerful villain, nor is it a virus created by a villain. No, this was caused by themselves and is now trying to take away both Alfred's grandson and Bruce's son from their countless neglect and the boy's own depression created by there lack of appearance to the thirteen year-old.

The sound of doors opening caught the white wolf and Alfred's attention, which both turned and watch J'onn coming in with another bag of water with nutrients inside.

"It is time to change the boy's I.V.," he told the butler. "He will need all the nutrients and strength he could get, in order to fight his way out of the coma." As he hooked the bag onto the I.V., Wolf slowly and gently wagged his tail onto the bed, as if greeting the martian and happy to see another who has tried to help Dick deal with his pain through depression.

Alfred noticed the white-wolf was only giving J'onn the special welcome, which he usually doesn't give to the rest of the Justice League or the Young Justice, even and especially if it were Conner, Kaldur, Wally or Roy that came to see him. Though Wolf hadn't growled at the butler when he would enter the room, Alfred would see the white-animal narrow his eyes at him and slowly flatten his ears before turning his attention back to the boy on the bed.

"Do not take it personally, Wolf is just simply being overprotective over the child to those he believe has hurt the boy." J'onn's voice brought Alfred out of his thinking, who has finished installing the bag onto the I.V. and was done checking on the needle that was still implanted into Dick's right-hand.

"I do not truly blame him, Master J'onn, for what we had done to Master Richard and for not being there for him when he really needed us." Sensing the hurt from the elder, J'onn used his Psychic Powers to quietly summon a chair into the room and land it silently on the other side of the bed.

_**[If you can tell me, why didn't you or Bruce noticed his changed behavior?] **J'onn_

Although Bruce had told Alfred about the Martian's Mind-Link, he was still surprised to be hearing J'onn's voice without having the Martian Manhunter to speak. Hoping he was doing it right, the butler spoke within his mind, so that they wouldn't wake Bruce from his sleep.

_**[To be honest, I don't truly know why, myself, and I doubt Master Bruce knows as well.] **Alfred_

Alfred then leaned forward a bit and placed his left-hand on top of Dick's head, slowly gently stroking his raven-black hair.

_**[I may be getting old, but I am still young to remember what I am suppose to do and it is much too soon for me to be forgetting things, for I am starting my sixties and should be forgetting things somewhere between the seventies and eighties.] **Alfred_

During his seven years living on Earth, J'onn learned that humans are very different then the martians on Mars: They look different, think differently, act different, and they don't even have superpowers to defend themselves if enemies were to attack them. The first, yet second thing that truly makes the humans more different than the martians, is the way they age. In human biological equivalent, J'onn would appear to be somebody in his mid-fifties, though he would actually look like somebody in his early-twenties or late-thirties, and M'gann looks to be in her teen years, but both are much older than they look. Chronologically, he is actually 135 Earth-years old and his niece 48 Earth-years old. When J'onn was in his eighties, he was starting in his twenties on his home-planet. Though he was young during that time, J'onn can literally feel how hard aging must be for the butler.

The martian turned his gaze at the boy on the bed, who was being held by a sleeping Bruce, a white-wolf laying over him to give the thirteen year-old extra warmth, and a butler who was stroking his hair in a soothing gesture.

_**[He doesn't seem to like you referring to him as 'Master', and yet, you continue on calling him and Bruce as your 'Masters'.] **J'onn_

He then lifted his gaze towards the elder, who had a smirk on his face from his words.

_**[You also call me 'Master', when I am really not your master. You even refer to any guests by 'Master' or 'Mistress', though they are not your superiors.] **J'onn_

Alfred let out a deep sigh.

_**[Old habits die hard, I'm afraid. I'd been serving Master Bruce's father for many years, long before he had met Mistress Martha and even long before his parents had passed.] **Alfred_

A wave of sadness and grief formed around Alfred's soul, though J'onn could easily withstand negative emotions much more than his niece can.

_**[It seems that Bruce isn't the only one whose parents had passed away, is he?] **J'onn_

Alfred shook his head.

_**[Though he did not witnessed their deaths, Master Thomas lost both of his parents when he was half the age older than Master Bruce and Master Richard were when they lost theirs.] **Alfred_

_**[Which means he was sixteen when he lost his parents.] **J'onn_

Alfred nodded his head. J'onn then turned his attention to the black journal that was on the small desk, which next to the tray of food that Bruce has refused to eat.

_**[Would you mind if I see the book, myself?] **J'onn_

Knowing that he was going to read the book himself, Alfred simply shook his head and handed the black journal to the martian. He then sat from his spot.

"I'm afraid that I must leave now," he whispered. "I must get myself some sleep, for I will need my energy to get Master Bruce to eat." He then picked up the tray of the playboy's dinner with both of his hands and quietly walk towards the doors. Right before he went out, the butler ceased his walking and turned his blue-eyes at J'onn.

_**[Thank you, for being there for Master Richard... I know that you'll do whatever it takes to bring him back to us, for he is the main reason to why we still exist and are working together as a family.] **Alfred_

The moment Alfred was gone, J'onn opened the black journal to its stopping point made by the bookmark and began to read the next part of Dick's writing.

* * *

**____********__****__****__****Hate me, break me down!... (So break me down) Down! ****____********__****__****__****(So break me down)**  


* * *

**Friday: July 28, 2006  
**_It's been a full month since I've decided to become Bruce's partner, and a full month since that bird left me that sign. Ever since I declared myself to become Robin, Bruce has taken me to the Batcave and had trained me to become his __protégé_.  


_I was really surprised on seeing the Batcave, and more surprised on how I never thought it was underneath the house or the entrance had been hidden behind the grandfather clock. Now I know how Bruce was able to get out of the house without letting me know, and how he could get back without having to make a sound. The Batcave was very big, though it wasn't as big as the Manor from above. The cave seems very dark and gloomy with no lights on, even though the lights are on when we came out of the elevator. And what's a Batcave without bats? I have a feeling that the cave has been a home to the bats before Bruce found it and they seemed used to having lights in the cave, for they stayed hanging in the ceiling and seemed to stare at us from below._

_Some of the bats had already spread their wings and flew in the air, with some of them flapping in front of Bruce and me, though I think it's me they're staring at. I was a bit scared when they came down and I quickly reached for Bruce's hand by instinct, though I shouldn't had been scared of the small creatures. Bruce simply chuckled and removed his hand from my own to wrap his left-arm around my shoulders and keeping me close by him. The bats seemed to have understood Bruce's physical reaction when he had me wrapped in his arm, because they suddenly came up close to me and sniffed my hair before taking off into the ceiling with the rest of the bats.  
_

_Bruce showed me around the cave and all the technology he uses to find the bad guys and whatever information he needs to know of them, which was mostly the Batcomputer and his vehicles. He also had his own training area, which seems more of a survival obstacle course program than an average training area. He also showed me his use of weapons and his vehicles, which some blueprints on some other ideas for new use of technology of his weapons and vehicles. It was amazing, truly amazing to be the first- Well, the second, to see the Batcave and to be working within it.  
_

_It took some adjusting for us to make it official, but we were able to make the weapons and a couple of vehicles for me to use, along with my own utility belt and holographic computer glove, once I was ready to take my first flight in the night. Bruce seems to like my costume and its design, but he had to give it an upgrade and some armor in order to protect me from the bad guys and crooks. I don't really see the reason why I would be wearing armor, when it could possibly slow me down._

_Back when I lived in the circus, I wasn't just known as 'Little Robin'. To my father, uncle and cousin, I was also known as 'Swift Wolf', for I was always on my toes and I show no sign of getting tired. Not to mention that I'm very quick for my age, and have been gifted for my speed and stamina. To be honest, I thought they only called me Swift Wolf, because the wolf is both my favorite animal and my birth animal._

_I may not look much, but I'm actually part Native-American, from my mother's side. My father and uncle are Romanian, while my aunt and mother are white, with both sides having something else besides being white or Romanian. Though my aunt and mom aren't related to each other, they actually share some origins with each other: French, German, Irish, Spain, Scottish, Portuguese... Especially, Native-American. And to every Native-American, whether we are born Indians or not, we're all born with an animal symbol._

_My father was born on October 18, which is the day of the Raven. My mother's birthday is on April 10, the falcon. Aunt Karla is on July 7, the woodpecker. Uncle Rick is December 1, the owl. My parents, aunt and uncle's birth are the sign of birds, four out of the five Birds of the Birth Animal Symbols. I thought I would be the only one to not be a bird, for my birthday is on March 20, which is the first day of Spring and the last day of the wolf. Luckily for me, I was proven wrong that I would be the only Grayson to not be born as a bird. My cousin John's birthday is on September 11, which is the sign of the bear... Also, the day of 9/11. If he were to be born between December 22 and January 19, he would've been born of the fifth bird of the Animal Symbol: The goose.  
_

_Anyway, my other nickname tells others that I'm actually as swift as the wolf, which is no lie, and I can't have armor to slow me down to have my second nickname to be a joke. However, the armor that Bruce has added to my suit wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be. In fact, I can't actually feel the armor at all, though my chest would feel thick from the material of the armor from inside the vest. My shoes also had some metal underneath them to make them much more quiet, but to also inflict a lot of damage to my opponents once I implant a kick at them. My suit also contains Kevlar, like Bruce's suit, but not that much as he uses. My pants could still be torn, but Bruce had it made with special cloth, so that it wouldn't tear if I were to fall to the ground or stretch myself beyond my limits. Though my gloves had been upgraded with special picks and identity palm-matcher, they could still be teared and destroyed very easily._

_Despite some downfalls to my suit, it was still perfect for me to use and to fight in. I'm actually doing very well for my age, even Bruce admitted that I was a lot better than he was when he trained all over the world as a teenager, which was somewhere between being fourteen to sixteen. He also claimed that I would be able to go out on patrol within a week or less, three days at best if I keep showing improvements to my skills and training._

_However, since August was coming its way, I had to take some tests to see which grade I would be in. Though I should be going into fourth grade, Bruce believe that I would actually be in an upper grade. However, he was certain that I'm not ready for high school just yet. Luckily, I only need to finish two tests and then we'll get to see the results on which grade I'll be in before school starts on August 22. More than half of the questions are actually easy, but the rest are hard and the English Test has got to be one of my hardest to do, since I'm still learning English and actually started to read English. I could also tell that I need to work on both my Language Arts Test and my English language, because I would see Alfred or Bruce's confusion or disappointment on me messing with the English speech._

_My first made up English word is 'Whelmed', which was suppose to be the opposite of 'Overwhelmed' and 'Underwhelmed'. My next word was 'Turbed', which is the opposite of 'Disturbed'. 'Traught' was my third word, but it's really an important word for me for being the opposite for 'Distraught'. The opposite for 'Disaster' is 'Aster', which is suppose to be a word to lift somebody's spirit if their plan didn't go as planned but has completed the mission, anyway. Though they may not be actual words to Alfred, Bruce or anybody else, they're real words to me and had been created by my ideas of trying to brighten moods or gain attention for either good or bad. __However, it's not just my English or language that needs some more working on._

_A few weeks ago, on the 11th of July, there was a Charity Night for stopping Animal Abuse & Slaughtering and many people wanted to greet me. So, Bruce had decided to take me to the charity night and had Alfred dress me into a similar suit that almost matches Bruce's clothes. The clothes very much made me feel uncomfortable, like the suit is trying to strangle me around the neck and have me gasping for breath, but I was able to calm myself and actually get as much air I could get through the suit. I rarely wear nice suits at the circus... Actually, I don't have any nice suits at all at the circus, just average clothing and a circus costume, which probably answers to why I feel like I'm wearing a monkey-suit costume than an actual suit._

_We actually went to the Gotham Zoo for the charity night, though the zoo looks to have been completely cleaned out and the both the cages and animals appeared to have been given a bath. A lot of people came to for the charity night, who were many of Gotham's other billion or millionaires like Bruce or important people who get to come. I couldn't see any children around my age or teens who came, which probably meant their parents didn't let them come, a lot of these people are single or are planning to have their own children in the later future. I knew it was going to be a long night and a complete waste for me to be here, with many photographers taking pictures of all of us and the way everyone would help themselves to the buffet table for food or drinks. A lot of people prefer wine, because I could smell the scent of alcohol in the cold-air and it was already getting me lightheaded the moment I set my first step on the red-carpet._

_Bruce held my right-hand the moment we got out of the limo and I'm very grateful that he decided to hold my hand, though I could tell he was getting odd and confused gazes from people who would see me holding his hand like a toddler would do with its mother or father in a crowded store. Some of their gazes were at me, which made me feel uncomfortable even more in my suit and wanting to hide behind Bruce's legs. However, I had my stubborn pride to prevent me from hiding and try to act and be like Bruce. Acting is what I'm good at, besides doing the trapeze or showing off my acrobat skills on the high-wire at the circus. I mostly stay quiet as the adults talked and only spoke when some of the adults would talk to me or ask me a question, but Bruce told me to not talk to photographers, those having notepads in their hands, or are acting friendly and asking me about my life with him or before I lived with him._

_We've been walking and talking to people for an hour and a half, until something caught my attention. Even in a crowded people and loud voices talking, I could still detect and hear an odd sound that was more animal than human. According to my hearing, the sound was coming from the back of the party and somewhere deep within the zoo. I turned my attention to Bruce, who was too busy talking with a couple of men and having a few women holding his arms for attention. I knew he would be too busy to notice me gone, and so, I quickly and quietly made my way towards the back and through the adults. They didn't bother to notice I slip by them and when I made sure nobody was looking, I took off into a full sprint into the dim lights of the zoo's trail. My mind was so much calmer and clearer once I was away from the charity party and the people, and I was able to hear the sounds around me._

_It turns out that the animals couldn't get any sleep from the grown ups' talking, the scent of food and wine, the bright lights that the zoo keepers set out for the people to have for the night and that many strangers came to the zoo in clothes that don't seem like visitors would wear while at the zoo. I could tell how much the party was bothering them, especially when the charity party and people were keeping them from getting any sleep at all and I was also surprise to see the nocturnal animals were trying to get some sleep that night._

_The lions in their dens were moaning and are having to place both of their paws on top of their own ears to cover the sounds, the bears in their cage and cave were growling and scratching the concrete floor with their claws, some of the tigers in their den were pacing near the waters and the rest were snarling whenever their stomachs would growl from smelling human food, and the wolves in their cage and den were whimpering from the scent of cooked meat and the scent of whine making them dizzy. For the rest of the animals, like the reptiles in the Reptile House and the insects in their own building, seemed to be alright and are sleeping away the night. The zebras, antelopes and giraffes, however, seemed to be trying to block out the sounds and try to sleep, but they would at times move to another spot and try to sleep while standing or laying down. The flamingos appeared to be burying their faces underneath their own wings pretty hard, the elephants were getting a bit stressed from hearing the noises because of their strong hearings, the alligators and crocodiles seem to be very close on losing their patients and swimming underwater to block out the sounds doesn't look to be working, and the hippos tried to cover their ears with the mud underwater or try to bury their faces into each other if they couldn't use whatever they could find and when the water wasn't helping._

_Just as I was heading towards the other felines and monkey enclosure, I stopped to where I haven't been to the last time I came to the zoo: The Bird House. The lights were on, but it looks to be only one-side of the building was lit-on and the other side was completely dark. There were a couple of sounds being made inside, but they don't sound like they're in danger or in a fight. My mind then went to the fight the red-hawk and Robin had, which ended with the red-hawk to retreat and the adult-Robin to die, leaving the little-Robin to mourn for its death and injured from the bigger-bird trying to hurt it. I was really worried that the hawk could had possible attacked the little bird again, and has taken its young life with its guardian and protector gone. Without a second thought to think, I immediately ran into the Bird House. The door was unlocked like last time, which makes me wonder if the security in the zoo is actually terrible or if the guards had forgotten to lock the doors. I worried if they had forgotten to lock the other animals' doors or cages, even though they had the front gate and exits locked to prevent them from actually getting out of the zoo.  
_

_The moment I pushed the doors open and took the five steps into the Bird House, I was kind of surprised when I heard and saw something in the tree that I felt belonged to the two Robins and couple of the other small birds of the zoo: In a nest with leaves on top of the branches, was the little Robin that was attacked by the hawk... The same, and only little Robin, who lost its guardian and was left to mourn for the adult Robin's passing. The small bird looks to be doing alright, though I could still see a couple of scars on its small-body that the feathers weren't able to cover, especially a curved-scar that went over its left-eye and ended at the top of its head to the edge of its beak where the mouth would open.  
_

_I smiled at the sleeping bird, glad to see the small bird still living and that the hawk isn't out of its cage to harm it again. I then noticed something black hanging over the little Robin and its nest, which almost appears to be like a black-fruit with two-pointed edges on the bottom. I then noticed that hanging onto the limb of the branch was feet and when it shifted, I then realized that it wasn't a fruit. I then slowly made my way towards the tree, wanting to get a closer look at the black-figure and the little Robin's nest, since the tree was shielding them in its shade of branches from the light. Right when I reached for the trunk of the tree with my hands, my fight-foot stepped on a twig and caused it to break. The sound woke up some of the birds in the trees or bushes, especially the little Robin and the black-figure, for I heard a couple of soft chirping in the nest and a bit of a groaning from the black-figure. I then watch the black-figure opened and stretch its wings into the light, which I then identified it as the black-figure that attacked the red-hawk that exact night: It was a bat, a completely black bat that was a black as starless night skies. When it finally caught me in its sight, I stared back at the small-creature and saw that its eyes were Navy-Blue, a lot like Bruce's eyes. __The black bat let out a screech when it saw me and then released itself from the branch, flapping its wings and heading towards my direction._

_I should've ran from the small-creature that was charging itself full-speed at me, but something in the back of my mind told me to stay put and that the bat wasn't going to attack me. My heart rate increased from seeing how fast the bat was going and I was beginning to doubt about my mind's judgement about the bat not going to attack. Right when I placed my left-foot back and was about to shift myself to a full-sprint towards the exit, the bat let out a startling screech and pulled itself back, flapping itself in mere inches away from my face. My heart was beating so loud in my hearing, that I didn't hear the little Robin chirping at the bat until my heart finally calmed itself and was able to realize that the small bird has probably told the bat to not harm me.  
_

_The bat cocked its head to the side, staring at me in confusion and concentration, until it finally broke the gap between us and actually went to sniffing my head. Though I'm an animal person and know a lot of things about animals, I had no idea to why bats are sniffing my hair or why they they insist on smelling me in the first place. After a couple of sniffing and a squeak or two from the bat, it pulled away and then did something I never expect it to do: It leaned its head forward and rubbed its small head against my cheek, actually embracing me as if I were a long-lost friend or relative. I don't really think bats can smile, but I'm pretty certain that the black-bat just smiled at me when it pulled away. It then turned itself towards the tree and flapped itself up, to where the nest laid in a strong branch and where the little Robin made a couple of its chirping. The bat then flew itself around the nest and over the small bird, before it actually settled itself into the nest with the bird. It then turned its head back to me and gave out a couple of screech, which made me think it wanted me to come up with it and the Robin.  
_

_Being an acrobat, also meant being an experienced climber, especially when it involves trees. Cracking my knuckles a bit and rolling my shoulders back to get them a bit warmed up, I give myself a short jump and grabbed for a branch above me. It appear to be as strong as the tree the bird and bat are in, but it was strong enough to hold my weight and keep itself together to the tree until I launched myself to the next tree-branch I was certain I could grab for. It took about six leaps from getting one branch to the other and a few scaling up the trunk, until I finally reached the branch that held the nest. Not only did it look strong, it also felt strong to my touch and seems like it can also hold Bruce's weight, whether he's as Batman or just himself. __I then laid on the branch and began to slowly crawl my way towards the branch, while walking on all fours to keep my balance better and to not risk jostling the nest out of the branch if I were to shake or use too much strength to cause the branch to shake too roughly with my feet._

_By the time I reached the nest, I folded my arms to lay my chin on and stared to a sight that had touched one or some of my heart-strings: The little Robin and the black-bat laid together in the nest, with the right-wing of the bat covering the little bird's body and the little Robin nuzzling its little head against the bat's chest and neck. I smiled at the sight before me, for it appears that the bat is now the Robin's new guardian and parent. I never heard of a bat adopting a bird, let alone seen an actual bat looking after a small bird. But now, I finally get to see something that many people may never believe, even if they were to come and see it for themselves._

_When the little Robin turned its small head towards me, it gave me light chirps that sounds to me that it was happy to see me. I smiled at the bird, hearing its happy song-like chirps, as I slowly and gently unfolded my right-hand from underneath my left and brought my fingers slowly to the bird and bat. The black-bat sniffed at my fingers when they were inches away from their faces and then rubbed its head against my fingers, which possibly meant he trust me to be close to it and its new young, who is also known as a 'pup' to bats. I gently stroke the Robin's head with my pointed-finger, at the same time stroking and gently scratching behind the bat's ear and head, which they both seem to like a lot. The little Robin then sat up from its laying spot and gently brushed the bat's wing off of its body, as it slowly and lightly hopped its way towards me when I ceased the petting. I laid my right-hand down and without having a second thought or hesitation, it jumped right in the center of my hand and laid itself down.  
_

_I lifted my hand up a bit as I sat up from the branch, staring into the bird's small-blue eyes, especially to the one that held the crescent-like scar. I gazed sadly at the scar.  
_

_**"**__**Îmi pare rău**_," I whispered. I'm positive that animals don't understand human speech that much, but the Robin seemed to understand what I was saying, because it turned its face towards my fingers and gently rubbed against one or two of them, as if showing a sign of forgiveness or was simply telling me it wasn't my fault and there was no need to apologize. I then had my left-arm up and gently held the bird to its back on my right-hand, gliding gently through its feathers to see the scars and checking to see what the gender of the bird is. It was a male bird and judging by its size, he seems to be in his fourth day of life and surprisingly, has actually conquered the challenge of flying at a very young age. The bat in the nest kept its eyes on the Robin in my hand, with the look of worry held within its eyes when it saw both my hands on the little bird's body, but knowing that I wasn't going to harm its new pup, even though the Robin isn't really a bat at all.

_I then turned my attention to the bat in the nest and then let the little bird back into the nest, only to gently pick the bat up from the nest and to see what the gender of the bat is. I honestly thought it would be a girl, since male bats don't help raise their own pups or even interact with them, but it was the size of the bat that caught me off guard since it was a lot bigger than a female bat would be. At first, the black-bat tried to get itself out of my grip, possibly thinking that I was going to harm it, but it eventually calmed down when it realized that I was gently stroking its fur and when the Robin was using his chirping sound, as if telling its new parent that I wasn't going to harm it. After a quick check, I was completely shocked to find that the black-bat is also a male. The bat was very big, actually bigger than both of my hands combined, which got me to think it could actually be somewhere between six to nine years old.  
_

_I then set the bat back into the nest and watch as the black-bat gently wrapped both his black-wings around the Robin, as if giving the little Robin a hug, and then would nuzzled his head against his newly adopted pup when the bird would chirp and rub his small-beak underneath the chin of his newly adopted father. I actually never thought I would get to see a male bat actually care for his own young, or even interact with them, but it seems that I actually get to see that day, even though that __**Prihor**_ isn't a bat at all.  


_I've decided to call the little Robin '____**Prihor'**_, since the zoo hadn't given him a name and I can't really think up a name besides ___**Prihor**_. As for the black-bat, I heard that the zoo called him 'Shadow', because of the way he would move like a shadow. Even though he has one, I'm going to give him a Romanian name as well and call him, **Umbră**(Shadow)_. It also seem that the zoo hadn't given names to the other birds or animals of Gotham Zoo as well, and that's when I had the idea of giving them all my own special name for them._

_I then noticed how ______**Prihor**_**'s **eyes were starting to close, indicating that he was falling asleep, but he seems to be having trouble with some of the nocturnal birds' calls that was keeping him up and some of the day birds. _**Umbră**_ seems to be trying to lull the bird to sleep by making a purring-like sound from his throat, but the sounds of other nocturnal creatures were louder and even with _______**Prihor**_**'s **head leaning in, ___**Umbră**_**'s **purr has been overpowered. It took me awhile for me to come up with an idea to help put all the birds to sleep, until an idea came to me from a time I had trouble sleeping back at the circus.  


_Besides having my circus family and biological family at my side, hearing, playing or singing a song always comforts me. My family and I are not the only greatest acrobats, but we're also the Circus' best music players and singers they have. In fact, every time we travel, we would all gather in one of the carts of the train and then we would sing or play music to pass the time. Our last music we played together and for the circus while we were heading for Gotham from performing for New Orleans in Louisiana, we called it "Wep'keer", which means "Old Stories" in Japanese. To me, it sounded like a person or an animal traveling all alone in a terrible blizzard, but kept moving forward. When our song gets heated up, it now made me think that the person is now running through the snow and is being led, protected and guided by hidden guardians in the Land of Snow.  
_

_I then reached into the two pockets on both sides in the inside of my pants, which were two pieces of a flute that had belonged to my mother, who she got it from her grandfather. On the last second of getting ready, I took the two pieces of the flue with me in case I would get bored and had hope to play it in private. I then connected the two pieces together and making sure that it was in perfect condition, I gave it a gentle blow. I didn't want to play a sad song like "Wep'keer", even though it is beautiful and I'm very well good on playing sad songs. I then chose another song that I used to play with my family, which was one of our best happy songs. We called it "Waka", which literally meant "Japanese Poem", which we named after playing some instruments in Japan five years ago. The song would've sounded wonderful with the rest of my family and their instruments playing with mine, but the song would still be perfect with just one instrument and that's all I needed to play the song._

_When either my folks and I or myself play "Waka", it makes me think of an arrival of a mystic bird that came to greet me. Then, gentle gush of wind will come up and when the bird would arrive, flower petals and healthy leaves would surround its slender form and the sun's ray of light would make the bird to be created by sunshine and star dust. Then in the center of the song, the majestic bird would spread its shining feathers and dance, either by air or on ground. And whenever the bird were to touch a tree or lay a single toe of its talon in the waters, their colors would lighten and life would magically appear out of nowhere. Somewhere in the part of the song, I would imagine the bird wanting me to dance with it and we would both be dancing with the Earth and wind. And the song itself would have me imagining the bird chirping or even whispering the song, itself, to try and put me to a lovely sleep in Paradise._

_As I continued my music, some of the birds had joined in the music and would chirp in with the song, while other birds would actually fly gracefully in the air in harmony with the song. I turned a glance to ____**Prihor**, who seems to be very close on going to the Land of Dreams within the folds of __**Umbră's **wings. The black-bat, though seems to fall for the song to sleep, seems to be gently screeching within the song for the high part. Some of the birds, at the moment, had already fell asleep or had already entered the Land of Dreams. For the animals would weren't that high of singers, they would either peck or scratch at the hard surface of the trees or earth, or would even bang against the hard-metals of the Bird House._

_______I was so caught up on playing the song over and over, that I hadn't realized that our song had been echoed outside of the Bird House and all the animals could hear our song playing, nor that I would eventually get lightheaded from using so much air for the song. I was too busy imagining myself playing this song with my family at the circus instead of the birds singing with me, and how I would use to dream of dancing with that majestic bird. I didn't even know that they were either singing with us, or had falling asleep from the song... I didn't even know that the humans had heard my song or the animals' singing in tone, until I heard a voice that brought me out of my word._

**_______"Dick!" _**_______My eyes snapped open from the call of my name and when I had stopped singing, those that were still awake had sharply cut off their singing and ceased the noise making. The animals from outside also stopped and I could tell to what all the animals of the zoo were thinking: Why had I stopped playing the lovely music that they'd loved? There was a simple answer to that one, and the answer was standing down below or at the entrance of the Bird House. My cheeks blushed a sort of small-medium red color when I saw Bruce and the other humans staring up at me, more than half of them gazing at me in confusion. Other gazes were either in disgust, disappointment, or ashamed. The remainders were actually surprised and appear to had loved the song I had made, along with the birds. Bruce, however, didn't seem to be thinking of what I just played. He made his way towards the tree I was sitting in, and then held out both of his hands in the air. **"Dick, come down from there!" **I didn't like the tone of voice he had used to speak in, and that's when I quickly parted my flute and placed them back into the pockets they were in moments ago, while I made my way down the tree. Knowing that I should get out of the tree sooner than later, I leap down to two tree-branch and then launched myself out of the third branch I leap to, while doing three flips in the air and landing perfectly on my feet._

_______I most likely gotten them even more startled from my daredevil stunt, because some of them gasped and a few even slowly took a step back when I landed, even though I was still far away from them. The moment I was on the ground, Bruce immediately went by my side while on his left-knee to kneel and check me over for any sign of wounds or injuries. I wasn't hurt in the least, even though my landing should've had most likely sprained one or both of my ankles, but I was still alright. When he finally ceased his checking and found me completely unharmed, except for my suit having some parts of wood sticking and a bit wrinkled, he let out a sigh of relief and then pulled me to a hug. I actually thought he was going to yell or scold me for disappearing and running off without him knowing, nor did I ever thought he would be embracing me in front of the other billionaire or millionaire of Gotham. I slowly and gently wrapped my arms around him, though my arms didn't make it even halfway towards his back, and returned the hug back to him. I then laid my head on his left-shoulder and let my eyes closed, feeling guilt and shame rushing throughout my body and mind for what I've done: I possibly ruined the Charity Night, embarrassed Bruce in front of the people, and had worried him for vanishing without letting him know.  
_

_**"S**__**unt**_(I'm)-_**"**__Even though I _was _whispering and only Bruce would be the only one to hear me, I quickly caught myself speaking in Romanian in front of people. Bruce and I had talked about speaking in English when out in public, and I didn't want to disappoint him even more than I probably had that night. So, I tried again. **"I'm sorry." **A bit of guilt left me when I had finished my short apology to him. Instead of replying back, I heard him let out another deep sigh and then pulled me closer to him, as he went to standing. I let out a short yelp and instinctively had my arms wrap around his neck, with my legs wrapping around his waist to keep me within his hold and not slip away from his grasp._

_He then led us towards the exit of the Bird House, where the adults quickly backed away to allow us through, and then took us out of the zoo and towards the black-limo that Alfred had dropped us off to the Gotham Zoo. I then thought that I was going to be punished in private, but was proven once again. The only thing he told me, while we were heading back to the Manor, was on how much I scared him when he realized I wasn't with him after talking with his old-friend, Lucius Fox, and doesn't want me to wonder off without letting him know. I promised him that I would tell him next time, and that was when I realized on how tired I was when I noticed my eyes were getting heavy and how warm Bruce was with his arms still around me. At first, I didn't want to sleep on him, for I didn't want to cause anymore trouble and ruin his best suit, but he didn't seem to care about the suit or what just occurred that night. In fact, he pulled me out of my spot and sat me in his lap, having his right-arm wrap around my small-form and using his left-hand to have my head lay on his left-shoulder for a pillow. I was so tired and felt warm and safe, it didn't take long for me to fall asleep throughout the whole drive back to the Manor and for Bruce or Alfred to take me into bed._

_Although he didn't tell me on how he thought the adults from the Charity Night thought of him and that he didn't care that they saw our little 'comforting' moment, I could tell that he didn't seem please to have them see me in a tree with zoo animals and playing music with them. I can't really help it if I have circus-blood in me or having old habit still implanted in my minds. I just miss my animal friends back at the circus, along with my circus family, and just being with the animals and playing to them just made me happy. Still, I know that I need to stop and try to act like other children or the children of the other billionaire and millionaire of Gotham behave._

_Yeah, I still have a long way to go and with school quickly coming its way, I could tell it was making Bruce and Alfred worried on how I would react with other students at Gotham Middle School. With only two tests left for me to take, we'll be having the results to which grade level I would be in. The only ones left for me to do are Science and Math. I wanted to do them last because both of those subjects are my most favorite and easiest subjects I can do and to learn. My cousin had already finished schooling, which he had finished at the age of fourteen, and he was really good in Vocabulary and History. I'm also good with History, but I always have trouble with Vocabulary and would need either my mother, aunt, or cousin to help me understand it. I'm just glad to have finished the English and Language Arts tests, or I would've been stuck with them for last and would be bothering Bruce much more. Alfred helped me understand it before I had to take the tests, but there were still some hard words that I hadn't understood just yet._

_Anyway, I better get some sleep before Alfred or Bruce comes in and sees me awake instead of getting some sleep to finish the Science and Math test. I just hope that I don't disappoint Bruce anymore than I just did, but it's going to be very hard for me to be like everybody else in Gotham, when I'm a complete stranger and Outsider of the city._

* * *

**____********__****__****__****So break me down, if it makes you feel right  
And hate me now, if it keeps you all right**

**____********__****__****__****You can't break me down if it takes all your might  
'Cause I am so much more than meets the eye...**

* * *

J'onn ceased his reading when he saw that Richard had underlined the word 'Outsider', as if the line is suppose to be a reminder of something that he shouldn't or mustn't forget at all. His red-eyes then narrowed when he recalled and had read about Dick thinking himself as a disappointment to Bruce, when it seems clear that the billionaire had never thought the boy to had been a disappointment to him at all.

The Martian recalled back Bruce would come up and talk with the other members of the Justice League about their young protégés or family members, back when Dick was still young and when some of the members had started on having their own partners to stop crimes. Whenever the Dark Knight would bring up about Robin or Dick, most of them, or perhaps all of them, are positive things. He would discuss on how Dick's grade would be in school, how his training as Robin had been scaling and had been improving the young child... But most of all, Bruce would talk on how much the boy had changed his life and that he can't ever think of a life without his son in his life.

J'onn let out a deep sigh and shook his head from recalling those pleasant memories he had, back when the Justice League would ask Batman to bring over Robin or Dick to the Watchtower and have them spend time with their newly adopted nephew-figure.

_'Perhaps that could be one of the reasons to why he hadn't thought of adopting the Young One,' _he thought. _'Even though it shouldn't had been that much of a surprise that he would forget to remind himself that Dick isn't really his, no one would even think that he would forget to remind himself of the obvious about their traits.'_

It was pretty clear that Bruce hadn't been thinking about adopting the thirteen year-old all those years ago, because he most likely had forgotten about the most important thing that makes Dick and him very different: The boy looked a lot like him when he was a child, think like him when solving hard problems in school or coming up ideas for Wayne Enterprises, act like him whenever they were as Batman and Robin while facing their toughest villains, and even had experienced the same tragic moment of losing their family at a young age. However, no matter how much they wish that they should be, the Justice League, especially Batman, has to face the facts and the truth... Dick has never been, and will never be Bruce's true-son. At least, not by blood, that is. It could be likely that Bruce thought that Dick is actually his true-son, that he most likely forgotten that the boy carries none of his genes in his entire being and had forgotten to adopt Dick to legally make him his son.

J'onn then turned his gaze towards the two on the bed, with Wolf still laying on top of them and is sleeping soundly. Both of the humans were dreaming but both were also unconsciously holding and carrying similar emotions that could most likely stop an army of Martians if they were to sense their combined feelings: Pain, regret, sorrow, loneliness. But most of all, they both felt the dying feeling of craving. They craved for their pain to be taken away, the sudden heavy burden grasp in their hearts to release them, and they craved for the nightmare to finally past. The Martian also noticed that both of their hearts and soul were begging for something that the other possess. It was clear to what they both want from the other.

_'They both wish for the love they have for each other to be returned, and for their bond to be restored.'_

There was a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, but it seems to J'onn that a single expression of emotion is worth a thousand questions and answers. And now, there were some questioning that doesn't seem to make sense: Who was the cause of the sudden sadness to befall on Dick? What was the cause of his pain to have increased, instead of to decreased? Where did this all happen? When did all the sadness begin that Dick has been holding for so long? Why was this happening to the boy? But most of all, how are they going to fix him before he can truly heal?

The only and possible answer that the League and the team have for those six questions, are the words of what Dick has written in his Journal that they must read... And, which may as well be the most important, the emotions and feeling held within the boy's own heart and mind. And so, J'onn turned back to the Journal and continued on reading, in hoping on finding the answers to the solution on helping their Little Bird and bringing him out of his coma before he goes with the second choice: Going inside the boy's heart and mind.

TBC

* * *

If I have anything to add, I wished that they would've continued the first season of Young Justice, since I think they went too fast and too early on making them older and starting season two. They should also at least have some episodes shows some of the past, especially on when the team began to 'split' and when Tula died... And to me, I think they should've had it be five weeks or months instead of years, and the Young Justice Team should've went to space instead of the 16 hours. I mostly want to see when Dick became Nightwing, because in the other Batman shows, he became Nightwing somewhere when he was almost starting his twenties and I believe they made him Nightwing somewhere in his teens in season two... Although, in the comics, he was around 16-18 years old when he became Nightwing.  
Anyway, also wish that they would stop having to pause putting the new episodes of the Young Justice on Cartoon Network, since they should've had or made more than just 2 or 3 new episodes when they stopped making new ones during Summer.  
Also, some of the journal stories in these and in chapter 2 are actually some mixtures from the other Batman shows, like the Animated Series, while most are made up...

And for those who are wondering or asking why I made this story... Well, I'll try and explain to why: A lot of us are hurting, even when we seem all happy and cheerful on the outside and to others, from small children to young or old adults... We're all really hurting on the inside and wish that others could see or know how we feel, but we're just afraid to tell them or express how we felt as we grew older and when the pressure from our troubles (family/school/work/drugs/hormones/illness/life/et c) are pulling us down and are making us change from people we used to be into a complete wreck opposite that others wants us to be. We no longer think straight, understand what's right or wrong with us and we try to fix it, but we at times ended up making our lives much worse when we don't tell anybody or express how we feel. And so, when we think we're just a mistake to the world and our family, we all think that killing or hurting ourselves will make it better and seemed like the perfect punishment to us all, but it's not. If we keep this up, then we'll be hurting those who do care about us, rather than ourselves.

And so, I ask of you to never cross that line. To not go down that path. Because if you take that step to that path or the other side of that line, you'll most likely never come back and you'll lose who you truly are. So, for those who are having trouble, I want you to tell your family and find the help you need to find the right path again, for the sake of your lives and those who care and loved you... Don't be afraid to speak up and tell somebody you trust on how you feel, it'll really help you and is actually the first step into healing... I'm one of those who're hurting and are having trouble with the life I'm living in, but I'm going to go on with life and fight to live a better life than quitting and throwing away the towel to make my family's life horrible if I were to do something that would scar them for life... Thank you...

**R&R**


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